Kyiv is ready to pay for other, urgently needed air defense systems out of his own pocket. Meanwhile, Moscow is negotiating with Washington.
Kiev/Brussels – Ukraine is dependent on the support of your partners for your air defense, but is also ready for buying other air defense systems. This was emphasized by President Wolodymyr Selenskyj after the meeting of the so-called Ramstein Group in Brussels. “Ukraine not only asks – we are ready to buy the corresponding additional systems,” said Selenskyj in his evening video message. “Strong weapons are the only one you can trust to protect life if you have a neighbor like Russia.”
Germany and several other countries have agreed to the Defense campaign against Russia for the defense fight against Russia. The executive Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) announced, among other things, the short-term delivery of anti-aircraft missile systems of the IRIS-T as well as combat tanks, artillery systems and information drones.
In addition, according to him, work is carried out on medium and long-term commitments. It is about more than 1,100 radar systems for soil monitoring and other Iris-T systems. The British Defense Minister John Healey confirmed that the group from around 50 nations had agreed on further aid worth a total of 21 billion euros. Pistorius spoke of “big progress”.
“We count on the decisions of our partners – we need the systems, they are available in the world, and we need a political decision so that air defense works here in Ukraine,” emphasized Selenskyj. At the same time, he recalled the recent Russian air and rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities.
“Crystal ball”: great uncertainty in US aids
However, it is extremely unclear whether the commitments will be enough to enable Ukraine an effective continuation of the fight against Russia. The reason is the course of US President Donald Trump, who has so far not announced any new arms deliveries to Ukraine and instead wants to urge Kiev and Moscow in negotiations on an armistice. US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth had not traveled to Brussels for the meeting of the Ukraine allies, but was on the video.
“In the near future (…) we will see what happens to US support,” said Pistorius. “I am not able to look into the crystal ball. We are waiting.” Europe assumes more responsibility, including within NATO.
British want to deliver “hundreds of thousands of drones”
In addition to Germany, Great Britain also presented further details of the support at the meeting. A package worth more than 500 million euros co -financed by Norway is intended to enable the delivery of radar systems, tank defense mines and “hundreds of thousands of drones”.
Selenskyj: Hundreds of Chinese in Russian armed forces
According to Selenskyj, several hundred Chinese fight in the ranks of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine. “We have information that at least several hundred Chinese citizens are fighting as part of the Russian occupation troops,” he told the Ramstein Group, according to Ukrainian media. “(Kremlin chief Vladimir) Putin did not have enough soldiers from North Korea – now he is trying to compensate for the losses by bringing another nation into play.”
A few days ago, Selenskyj reported the capture of two Chinese struggling on the Russian side in Ukraine and then stated that it was not individual cases. He pointed out that the Chinese fighting on the Russian side contradicted the official position of Beijings. China always warned of an escalation of the war.
China had rejected the allegation that own citizens were involved in the Russian invasion in Ukraine. These are baseless claims.
US special envoys. Putin meets Putin
The US specialist Steve Witkoff spoke in St. Petersburg for more than four hours with Kremlin chief Putin, among other things, about the Russian attack war against Ukraine. Specific results were initially not known.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow did not rule out that after the conversations there could be another phone call Putin with Trump. Witkoff brought a message to Trump, who listened to Putin, Peskow said. The discussions on the various aspects of a solution to the Ukraine conflict continued. It is about difficult questions.
U.S. President Trump once again put pressure on Moscow after Witkoff’s arrival. He wrote on the Truth Social platform: “Russia has to move. Too many people die, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.”
New drone attacks against Ukrainian cities
Shortly after the American-Russian talks in St. Petersburg, the Russian military started fight drones against Ukrainian cities. First, the Ukrainian port city of Odessa was attacked. Mayor Hennadij Truchanow called on the residents to visit safe places. He reported on the Telegram platform of explosions in the city.
After that, the capital Kyiv and the second largest city of Charkiw became targeted Russian drone attacks. Charkiw’s Mayor Ihor Terechow reported on Telegram of at least three explosions in the city. He did not give details. Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported at least two fires after drone strikes. dpa
