Kuleba meets with Italian FM to discuss Ukraine's air defense strengthening
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, met with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani. They specifically addressed how Italy could assist in bolstering Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy announced this on the X social network.
"I am pleased to meet with Antonio Tajani and thank Italy for its excellent leadership in the Group of Seven, as well as active and consistent support for Ukraine," Kuleba wrote.
Pleased to meet with @Antonio_Tajani and thank Italy for its excellent leadership in the Group of Seven, as well as active and consistent support for Ukraine.
We discussed practical steps how Italy can help strengthen Ukraine's air defense. We are also grateful for Italy's… pic.twitter.com/UtaLatzAty
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) April 19, 2024
He also thanked Italy for its participation in the restoration of Ukraine and expressed hope for new projects in this regard.
"We discussed practical steps on how Italy can help strengthen Ukraine's air defense. We are also grateful for Italy's participation in the recovery of Ukraine and look forward to more projects in this regard," informed the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On April 18, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that NATO partners could supply Ukraine with six Patriot systems.
The Netherlands has publicly announced its readiness to purchase the Patriot battery.
However, according to Kuleba, it is equally important to recognize NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's statement that there is no need to use the need for NATO standards as an excuse.
Канцлер Німеччини: Україна може отримати шість зенітно-ракетних комплексів Patriot від країн-партнерів
For reference:
President Zelensky recently emphasized the need for Ukraine to acquire 25 Patriot air defense systems or their equivalent to secure the country's airspace fully.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, also announced that Ukraine has identified 100 Patriots available globally, but Ukraine needs to obtain seven to protect against Russian missiles.
In addition, according to the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Ukraine is ready to lend seven batteries of the Patriot air defense system.
Earlier, Kuleba outlined five priorities for Ukrainian diplomats to focus on in 2024.
Strengthening air defense is a crucial focus for Kyiv this year. Ukraine is seeking to acquire not only the Patriot air defense systems but also the Samp-T systems.
It is also worth adding that the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, believes that it is cheaper to buy American Patriot systems for Ukraine than to restore a thermal power plant that was destroyed by a Russian missile.
