Against the backdrop of critical and intense political processes on Ukrainian soil, another important appeal has captured the world's attention. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent an official letter to the new White House leader, Donald Trump, and members of the US Congress, openly stating that serious problems have arisen in protecting the country's skies.
According to the Kyiv Independent, the text of this critical letter was first made public by renowned Axios journalist Barak Ravid. In his letter, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is currently in a critically dire need of air defense (AD) systems.
We have analyzed the main points and expected consequences of this important appeal for you in detail.
Defense against fast drones exists, but ballistic missiles...
Addressing the real state of the situation in his letter, the Ukrainian leader expressed the military's achievements and current weak points as follows:
Success against drones: The Armed Forces of Ukraine have achieved great skill in shooting down and defending against Iranian-supplied drones, and there are significant successes in this direction.
Limited internal capabilities: Nevertheless, Ukraine currently does not have the capacity to independently produce its own anti-missile defense systems.
Absolute dependence on the USA: Zelenskyy stated in his own words: “In matters of anti-missile defense, we rely on our friends and partners around the world. But in defending against ballistic missiles, we are forced to rely almost one hundred percent on the United States alone”, he emphasized.
The power of the legendary Patriot systems
Zelenskyy highly praised the importance of the Patriot surface-to-air missile systems provided by the US. He emphasized that these systems remain the only and most effective shield capable of destroying any type of Russian missile, even the most modern ballistic ones, in the air.
“It is the Patriot systems in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers that have proven a very important truth to the world: most of Russia's terrible and supposedly invincible missiles can be shot down and stopped”, says the Ukrainian president.
The PURL program and the shadow of war in the Middle East
The letter sharply criticized the current pace of arms deliveries. In Zelenskyy's view, the current supply speed is too slow and insufficient in the shadow of the terrible air threats Ukraine is facing.
For information: PURL (NATO initiative): This is a special alliance program under which American weapons and shells necessary for Ukraine are purchased at the expense of European countries' financial resources.
According to the Financial Times, due to the flames of war in the Middle East, the US has warned European countries that arms and ammunition sent to Ukraine may be delayed. This is because Washington is forced to focus primarily on Israel and regional security. Nevertheless, the Office of the President of Ukraine stated in a statement on May 19 that the supply system under the PURL program has not stopped and is continuing.
At the end of the letter, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the White House leadership and congressmen: “I ask you to provide practical and urgent assistance in protecting Ukrainian airspace from Russian missiles”, he concluded his appeal. How the new US administration will respond to this request and to what extent it will change the balance of power on the battlefield will become clear in the coming days.
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