Zelenskyy Demands NATO Boost Ukraine's Missile Defense
The high-level gathering, convened as a Ukraine-NATO Council meeting, produced renewed pledges of support from allied nations — and a pointed message from Zelenskyy that words must now translate into hardware.
"Today, Mark Rutte was in Ukraine, together with ambassadors of all NATO member states. The Ukraine–NATO Council met," he said.
Zelenskyy said the meeting sent a clear signal that Ukraine should receive additional support, particularly in strengthening its anti-ballistic defense capabilities.
On the immediate horizon, partner nations approved fresh contributions under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, with deliveries expected as early as June. The PURL mechanism was launched through a joint initiative announced by US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on July 14, establishing a framework under which NATO member states procure weapons for Ukraine directly from US stockpiles.
Beyond near-term deliveries, Zelenskyy pushed for a strategic shift — urging Europe to accelerate the development of its own indigenous anti-ballistic defense systems, arguing the continent already possesses the industrial and technological foundation to manufacture its own missiles and air defense platforms. He singled out France, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Italy for their ongoing cooperation with Kyiv on air and missile defense projects.
"Europe will truly become stronger when this is achieved. Not if, but when," he said, pressing allied governments to move faster in converting political commitments into operational results.
Zelenskyy also confirmed he discussed with Rutte the groundwork being laid for the forthcoming NATO summit in Ankara, where Ukraine will be represented. Kyiv, he said, is counting on the summit to yield concrete outcomes — including potential new agreements specifically targeting the reinforcement of anti-ballistic defense.
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