Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK Valerii Zaluzhnyi has called on international partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence and ability to strike back, arguing that support for Kyiv is also an investment in Europe’s broader security.
Commenting on Russia’s massive overnight attacks on September 8, Zaluzhnyi said the strikes demonstrated that Moscow had no intention of ending its aggression.
“There is nothing here about peace, only terror and the blackmail of civilians ahead of winter,” Zaluzhnyi said. “The only response can be to strengthen Ukrainian air defence, our infrastructure and our ability to strike back.”
The former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine urged international partners to focus on strengthening the country’s defence capabilities.
“Support for Ukraine is also support for European security in the broader perspective. The enemy will not stop on its own,” he said.
Zaluzhnyi’s comments came as the UK accelerated deliveries of drones and air-defence equipment to Ukraine ahead of winter.
According to the ambassador, Britain has already delivered 25,000 drones out of more than 120,000 planned for 2026. Deliveries of long-range artillery ammunition financed by the UK, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are also continuing.
The British government is also allocating £100 million to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence. A key part of the package will be interceptor missiles for Patriot systems and other air-defence equipment expected to reach Ukraine before winter through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism.
Zaluzhnyi said Patriot missiles are in short supply worldwide but are particularly important for Ukraine as Russia increases its use of ballistic missiles.
“This does not solve the problem and is not a panacea, but it is undoubtedly a significant contribution,” he said. “It will help protect our infrastructure, but most importantly, the lives of Ukrainians.”
The new British package also includes air-defence interceptors, large-calibre artillery ammunition and drones. Under the PURL mechanism, Ukraine’s allies finance the procurement of US-made weapons for Kyiv.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in the Ramstein format, the UK also confirmed the delivery of 25,000 drones as part of its commitment to provide 120,000 UAVs. Tens of thousands of additional large-calibre artillery rounds are expected to follow with financial support from several European partners.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, meanwhile, called on Alliance members to step up their support for Ukraine. He said allies had allocated $10 billion over the past year through the PURL mechanism and for purchases of US weapons for Ukraine through the US Foreign Military Sales programme.
