President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on NATO Tuesday to ramp up support for Ukraine's air defenses at the alliance's summit in Ankara.
"We are capable of doing everything else ourselves, but when it comes to air defense, we need our partners' determination. Please let more determination and more decisions for air defense be one of the key outcomes of this NATO summit," Zelenskyy said in the Turkish capital.
Zelensky added that Ukraine's battle-hardened forces would bolster NATO's defenses, as he renewed his argument for Kyiv to join the Ankara summit.
"Ukraine in NATO is a source of extraordinary defensive capability," he said in a speech on the sidelines of the summit.
Earlier, after arriving in Ankara, Zelenskyy had reiterated his demands for more help from NATO allies to better protect his country against Russian missiles.
"Decisions are needed now that will provide greater protection for our people, more capabilities for our defense, and even stronger security cooperation between Ukraine, Europe, and the United States," Zelenskyy wrote Tuesday on X.
He said he has planned almost 20 one-on-one meetings with different NATO leaders on the sidelines of the summit. Zelenskyy is also expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy suggested Ukraine could produce U.S.-built Patriot air defence missiles itself, but would require licences and approval from the United States.
"We will continue to work on bolstering Ukraine's air defense," he said.
