Ukrainian Foreign Minister demands more air defense systems from NATO
The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Andriy Sibiga, has demanded additional air defense systems from NATO and promised to discuss the concept of "peace through strength". He told reporters at the NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels on December 3.
"We are talking about the urgent delivery of at least 20 additional systems like Hawk, NASAMS or IRIS-T. This will help us avoid (crisis. - Ed.) blackout. We realize that the Russians are trying to deprive us of the ability to produce energy," Sibiga said.
He also called on allies to help supply the necessary systems to "strengthen the energy sustainability" of Ukraine during the winter period.
On the same day, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Budapest Memorandum that Kiev would not agree to any other security guarantees than full NATO membership.
Britain, Russia, the United States and Ukraine signed the Budapest Memorandum on December 5, 1994. The document provided for guarantees of Ukraine's territorial integrity in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons.
The day before, on December 2, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that the Ukrainian government needs more than $11 billion in additional aid from the West to maintain its military-industrial complex (MIC).
Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine amid Russia's special operation to protect Donbas, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 24 February 2022 after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
