Zelenskyy after conversation with Scholz: Ukraine will also receive missiles for air defence systems

Andrii Synyavskyi, KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — Saturday, 13 April 2024, 17:20

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right). Photo: ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged other leaders of Ukraine's partner states to follow suit following Germany's decision to urgently transfer one Patriot air defence system to Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy on Twitter; the Ukrainian president's website; European Pravda

Details: The Ukrainian president said he had a "productive" conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the chancellor for Germany’s decision to provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defence system and missiles to enhance its current air defence capabilities.

"Thank you, Olaf, for your leadership. This is a genuine show of support for Ukraine in a critical moment," Zelenskyy noted.

The president also urged all other leaders of Ukraine's partner countries to follow suit.

The Ukrainian President's Office said in a statement on its website that Zelenskyy also briefed Scholz on the current situation in the Ukrainian energy sector, especially in Kharkiv and other affected regions, the operational situation on the battlefield, and the current needs of Ukraine's defence forces.

In addition, Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the chancellor for supporting the Czech-led initiative to find artillery shells for Ukraine and stressed that its effectiveness directly depends on its timely implementation.

The parties discussed preparations for the conference on Ukraine's recovery to be held in Germany this summer and the organisation of the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland, the statement said.

"They have coordinated efforts to ensure the widest possible attendance of the Global South countries," the President's Office stressed.

Background:

On 13 April, Germany announced the urgent transfer of one Patriot anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine.
On 12 April, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that "active negotiations" were underway with allies to obtain two batteries for the Patriot air defence systems and one for the SAMP/T systems.
On Thursday, 11 April, Kuleba urged the French Foreign Minister to take immediate action to supply air defence to Ukraine, noting that it was the lack of modern air defence systems that allowed the Russians to destroy the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant (TPP) near Kyiv.

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