"Air defense needed now": Zelenskyy stresses urgency for Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated it during his morning address. 

Zelenskyy emphasized the immediate necessity of advanced air defense systems such as Patriot, IRIS-T, NASAMS, and Hawk in Ukrainian cities like Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and others that are under Russian attack.

According to Zelenskyy, leaders, states, and ambassadors providing assistance in air defense to Ukraine are not only saving lives but also diminishing Russia's inclination towards conflict. He stressed that reducing the effectiveness of Russian aggression increases the chances for peace negotiations.

"We must compel Russia to engage in peace efforts collectively," Zelenskyy concluded.

• Following a meeting in the Rammstein format on April 26, the Belgian Minister of Defense announced additional aid to bolster Ukrainian air defense.