Ukrainian foreign minister calls for NATO to provide ‘weapons, weapons, weapons’ to aid defenses
Ukraine’s foreign minister is calling on NATO to provide “weapons, weapons, weapons” to aid in its defense as Russia’s invasion enters its sixth week.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba voiced the plea on Twitter after meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, writing that the “three most important things” to Kyiv are “weapons, weapons, weapons.”
“Met with Secretary General @jensstoltenberg at NATO HQ in Brussels. I came here today to discuss three most important things: weapons, weapons, and weapons,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter.
“Ukraine’s urgent needs, the sustainability of supplies, and long-term solutions which will help Ukraine to prevail,” he added.
Kuleba’s request for more weapons comes after the Pentagon and State Department announced on Tuesday that it was sending up to $100 million in additional military aid to Ukraine. The funds will be used for Javelin anti-armor systems, according to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.
Last week, the Pentagon said it would provide $300 million in additional security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has given Ukraine more than $1.7 billion since the Russian invasion began in late February.
That support, however, has not met all of Ukraine’s requests. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has on a number of occasions asked the U.S. to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine and help provide MiG-29 aircraft. The U.S., however, has rejected both pleas out of concerns that the moves would escalate the conflict, and potentially draw Washington into direct confrontation with Moscow.
President Biden last month announced $800 million in new lethal aid for Ukraine, which included anti-tank weapons, unmanned drones, small arms and ammunition, among other important pieces of defense equipment.