Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday called for more air defense systems to be sent to Kiev to help protect against Russian attacks, adding that a pause in US funding had helped Moscow on the battlefield.
“This year, Russian jets have used more than 9,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine and we need the ability to shoot down aerial combat aircraft so that they do not approach our positions and borders,” Zelenskiy said at the start of a virtual meeting led by the US on aid to Ukraine.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the meeting will focus on Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
The meeting comes days after the US Congress ended a half-year impasse to approve a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.
President Joe Biden’s administration announced that $1 billion worth of artillery, air defenses and other equipment will soon be sent to Ukrainian front lines.
“While we waited for a decision on American support, the Russian army managed to seize the initiative on the battlefield,” Zelenskiy said.
“We can still now not only stabilize the front, but also move forward to achieve our Ukrainian goals in the war,” he added.
The U.S. hopes its new arms deliveries will help Ukraine rebuild defenses and retool its forces as it recovers from a gap in U.S. assistance, but it does not expect Kiev to launch large-scale offensive operations against Russian forces in the short term.
The influx of weapons could increase Kiev’s chances of avoiding a major Russian advance in the east, just over two years after the full-scale invasion of Moscow began, according to military analysts.
But it remains unclear how much pressure Kiev can exert on Russia after months of artillery rationing as its stocks are low. Kiev also faces a shortage of soldiers on the battlefield and there are doubts about the strength of its fortifications along a 1,000 km long front line.
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