Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Lithuania on Wednesday, ahead of visits to Estonia and Latvia, as Ukraine seeks further assistance to strengthen its air defenses in the face of Russia’s increased missile and drone attacks in the newest phase of the 22-month war.
According to Zelenskyy’s official Telegram channel, the focus of the Baltic trip will be security concerns, Ukraine’s desire to join the European Union and NATO, and creating collaborations in drone production and electronic warfare capabilities.
The Baltic Sea countries are among Ukraine’s most ardent political, financial, and military supporters.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, they have pushed Kyiv’s other Western partners to contribute increasingly modern armaments.
Russia’s belligerence toward its neighbor Ukraine has some in the Baltics concerned that they may be the next target for Moscow.
Zelenskyy, in his Telegram message, expressed gratitude for their “uncompromising” support of Ukraine over the past 10 years, referring to 2014 when Russia’s aggression started with the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.
Russia’s recent escalation of missile and drone attacks is stretching Ukraine’s air defense resources, a Ukrainian air force official said Tuesday, leaving the country vulnerable unless it can secure further weapons supplies.
During the war, Zelenskyy’s active international diplomacy was critical in maintaining pressure on friendly countries to continue supplying Kyiv with billions of euros in hardware, ranging from German Leopard tanks to US Patriot missile systems and British Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
However, material assistance has recently dwindled. A plan by US President Joe Biden’s administration to send billions of dollars in further help to Kiev is stalled in Congress, while Europe’s vow in March to give 1 million artillery shells within 12 months has fallen short, with only roughly 300,000 delivered so far.
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