Zelensky Urges More Air Defense Support in Surprise NATO HQ Visit

Storyful
7 個月前

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, October 11, his first trip to the alliance’s seat since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

At a doorstep with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Zelensky again urged Western countries to help Kyiv bolster air defense systems across the country.

“It’s not just about the counter-offensive,” he said, but also about defending against Russian attacks for a second winter.

Zelensky said in a Telegram post announcing his surprise visit that he would meet Stoltenberg, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and participate in the alliance’s so-called Rammstein format, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, for the first time.

He also called for strong support for Israel after the Hamas attack in the country’s south at the weekend.

Stoltenberg also said he would call for more air defenses in Ukraine to help protect critical infrastructure, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of using “winter as a weapon” by targeting energy and gas production. Credit: Volodymyr Zelensky via Storyful