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Dennis Donovan

(27,443 posts)
Wed Dec 4, 2024, 08:25 AM Dec 4

The Kyiv Independent: NATO must provide 'whatever air defense we can give' to Ukraine, Rutte says

The Kyiv Independent - NATO must provide 'whatever air defense we can give' to Ukraine, Rutte says

by Martin Fornusek
December 4, 2024 2:51 PM



NATO countries will do all they can to provide Ukraine with air defenses necessary to protect its infrastructure but there is no surplus of such systems, Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Dec. 4.

"In the world, we do not have an overflow of supply of air defense systems. So that means that you always have to make sure that you prioritize," Rutte told journalists during the second ministerial meeting in Brussels.

The previous day at the meeting, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that his country seeks at least 20 systems like NASAMS, HAWK, and IRIS-T to protect its critical infrastructure from Russian aerial strikes and prevent blackouts.

"But there was a clear agreement at the table last night that helping Ukraine, particularly with its infrastructure, has to be a priority," the secretary general continued. He did not provide a concrete number but voiced confidence that allies would provide Kyiv with whatever they could.

"We have to make sure that whatever air defense we can give them is being supplied to Ukraine."

Ukraine has previously complained that the allies are slow in fulfilling their commitments, such as providing air defenses pledged during a July summit in Washington. Kyiv received a Patriot system from Romania in October and was promised two additional IRIS-T systems from Germany by the end of the year.

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The Kyiv Independent: NATO must provide 'whatever air defense we can give' to Ukraine, Rutte says (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Dec 4 OP
How about signing a defense alliance and establish a No Fly zone? Wimpy response in 2014 leaves them here... dutch777 Dec 4 #1

dutch777

(3,585 posts)
1. How about signing a defense alliance and establish a No Fly zone? Wimpy response in 2014 leaves them here...
Wed Dec 4, 2024, 08:46 AM
Dec 4

...wringing their hands with no good options except more suffering and slow annihilation for the Ukrainians. And when Trump sells out the Ukrainians, the EU and NATO can watch Putin rebuild his army better than before and, now battle trained and tested, can line up on the Baltic States to "relieve Kaliningrad". I'll be taking bets...

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