FT: Ukraine likely to ask for more air defense missiles at upcoming Ramstein summit

Ukraine is likely to make an urgent plea to western allies for more air defense missiles at the upcoming Ramstein Summit on April 21, the Financial Times reported on April 19.

Ukraine's efforts to defend the population against Russia's relentless mass missile and drone strikes since mid-October of 2022 have "systematically depleted Ukraine's stockpiles."

Poland and Slovakia's transfers of MiG-29s fighter jets are meant to aid in protecting Ukraine's skies against Russian aircraft, but the Soviet-era fighters are not enough to counter drone and missile attacks, the FT wrote.

The recent U.S. intelligence leak included documents suggesting that Ukraine's air defense systems require replenishment to avoid the risk of depletion by early May and mid-April, and failure to do so could increase the risk of Russia using fighter jets and helicopters to carry out additional assaults.

The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein Summit, will take place at the Ramstein Air Base on April 21. This will be the 11th Ramstein summit since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year. The previous one was held virtually on March 15.

Ramstein summits are held to coordinate efforts to provide military aid to Ukraine.

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov described the most recent meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on March 15 as one that "inspired optimism" concerning the strengthening of air defense, ammunition supplies, training of soldiers, and forming what he has called an "armored fist."

Oleg Sukhov: What should be done to ensure Ukraine’s victory in 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began almost a year ago, the issue of Ukraine’s very existence and survival came to

Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov