Scholz Urges Other EU Leaders To Send Ukraine Air Defences

Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday urged his fellow EU leaders to follow Berlin's lead and send Ukraine more Patriot air defence systems as it desperately seeks to repel Russian attacks.

"This is immediately useful, we want to encourage others to do the same," the German leader said as he arrived for an EU summit in Brussels.

"Now it is about doing it quickly and not at some point in the future."

Germany on Saturday announced it was sending an additional Patriot air defence system to Ukraine after pleas from Kyiv for its Western backer to urgently help shoot down Russia's bombardments.

Ukraine has said it is running out of weaponry to shoot down Russian missiles and drones as Moscow has ramped up its attacks on infrastructure across the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated the urgent appeal for more assistance via video address to the EU leaders, as his outgunned forces struggle to stave off Russia.

"Thank you, Olaf, for your efficiency.

However, we have a bigger need," Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader told his EU counterparts that an attack on the city of Chernigiv Wednesday that left 17 dead highlighted the urgency.

"Systems that you have, they are needed in Ukraine right now -- needed to stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from relying on terrorist methods."

Officials say Ukraine is seeking seven more Patriot systems from Western stocks since they are the only ones capable of downing Russia's hypersonic missiles.

"Each day and night Ukrainian cities are being bombed, causing the destruction of infrastructure, causing deaths," Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda said.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg earlier on Wednesday told alliance countries that they should further strain their stockpiles to help support Ukraine.

"If allies face a choice between meeting NATO capability targets and providing more aid to Ukraine, my message is clear: Send more to Ukraine," he said.

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