Ukraine asking NATO for 20 air defense systems to prevent blackouts
Ukraine is appealing to its NATO partners to provide at least 20 air defense systems to help repel Russian aerial attacks, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said ahead of an allied meeting in Brussels on Dec. 3.
The provision of HAWK, NASAMS, and IRIS-T batteries will help avert blackouts, Sybiha said as Ukraine braces for fresh attacks in the third winter of the full-scale war.
Ukraine's diplomacy chief is in Brussels to attend the NATO foreign ministers' meeting and participate in the Ukraine-NATO Council session. Kyiv seeks to secure not only additional military assistance but also the much-coveted invitation to join the alliance.
Speaking to journalists ahead of the meeting, Sybiha brought the Budapest Memorandum, a document signed by Ukraine, Russia, and Western powers in 1994. In accordance with the agreement, Kyiv gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees.
"This document failed to secure Ukrainian security and Trans-Atlantic security. So we must avoid repeating such mistakes," Sybiha said.
"That's why, of course, we will discuss with my partners the concept of 'peace through strength,' and we have a clear understanding of which steps we need from our friends to do our homework."
Earlier today, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry issued a statement rejecting any "alternatives, surrogates, or substitutes for Ukraine's full membership in NATO," presenting the Budapest Memorandum as an example of failed assurances. The statement came only two days ahead of the 30th anniversary of the document's signing.
Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested ending the "hot phase" of war along Ukraine's eastern front in exchange for NATO membership, not immediately including occupied territories.
Several allies remain opposed to Ukraine's quick accession to the alliance, including Germany, Slovakia, and Hungary, according to earlier reporting and statements. Reuters reported that an invitation during the upcoming summit was unlikely due to a lack of consensus among NATO members.
Boldizsar Gyori
