Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a conversation with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, focusing on enhancing Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, particularly in ballistic missile defense.
Zelensky emphasized the potential of European support in this area, stating, “Europe has the necessary capabilities, and we discussed this within the framework of our work with the EU on the Drone Deal. Thank you, Ursula, for supporting this format. It is important that our teams are actively working, and there are already countries ready to join us.” This statement was shared via his Telegram channel.
Additionally, the two leaders addressed Ukraine’s path toward European Union membership. Zelensky expressed confidence in Kyiv’s readiness to open all six negotiation clusters and hopes that the first cluster, titled Fundamentals, can commence discussions as early as June.
“It is equally important that the first tranche of the European support package arrives as soon as possible. There is a date, and we hope everything will be implemented as we agreed,” he added.
Earlier, Zelensky reached out to U.S. President Joe Biden, highlighting a growing shortage of air defense systems needed to intercept missiles, particularly against the backdrop of threats from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Reports indicate that the letter to Biden specifies Ukraine’s reliance on the United States for ballistic missile defense, particularly regarding the PAC-3 missiles used in Patriot systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has engaged with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss strengthening air defense capabilities and advancing Ukraine's EU membership. Zelensky expressed optimism about the upcoming negotiations and the timely arrival of European support.