Zelenskyy sends letter to Trump over critical air defence shortages amid new Russian threats

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sent a letter to his American counterpart Donald Trump warning of worsening shortages of air defence systems in Ukraine, particularly capabilities for countering ballistic missiles.

Source: The Kyiv Independent, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine

Details: The Kyiv Independent reports that Zelenskyy contacted Trump amid intensified large-scale Russian aerial attacks and Russian threats of a new wave of long-range strikes against Kyiv, including targets Moscow describes as Ukraine's "decision-making centres".

"When it comes to air defence against missiles, we rely on our friends. When it comes to defending against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States," the letter, seen by The Kyiv Independent, states.

Dmytro Lytvyn, a communications adviser to the Ukrainian president, confirmed that Zelenskyy had sent a letter regarding air defence shortages to both Trump and the US Congress.

"In fact, it was addressed to both the US president and Congress – there were two recipients," Lytvyn told journalists on Wednesday.

The Kyiv Independent states that Ukrainian officials fear that limited stocks of Patriot interceptors and other Western-supplied systems may prove insufficient to withstand continued bombardment.

"It's really tough when it comes to anti-ballistic defence," one source familiar with the matter told the outlet.

According to the source, Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Ambassador to the US, distributed the letter to the White House, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and other members of Congress.

The letter also refers to Kyiv's growing concerns over difficulties in securing weapons through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, which allows NATO allies to finance purchases of US-made weapons for Ukraine.

Quote from the letter: "The current pace of deliveries through the PURL programme is no longer keeping up with the reality of the threat we face. I ask for your help in protecting Ukraine's skies from Russian missiles.

I, on behalf of the Ukrainian people, respectfully ask the president and the US Congress to remain engaged. And to help us secure this vital tool of protection against Russian terror – Patriot missiles PAC-3 and additional systems – to stop Russian ballistic missiles and other Russian missile attacks."

Background:

• On 25 May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and officially informed the American side that the Russians were beginning "systematic strikes" on facilities in Kyiv supposedly used for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• Amid the new Russian threats, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said it was ready to provide assistance in strengthening security for foreign diplomatic missions that request such support.
• EU Ambassador to Kyiv Katarína Mathernová stated that Western diplomats would not leave Kyiv despite Russia's threats of further strikes on the city.
• Rubio stated that Lavrov asked him to pass on a message from Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to Trump that Russia would strike Kyiv.

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