Zelenskyy to push for enhanced air defenses at Ramstein summit as Trump takes office

IVYE

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will again urge allies to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities during a meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany this week. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for defenses against missiles, guided bombs, and Russian aviation as dozens of partner countries gather at the Ramstein summit. “The task remains unchanged: strengthening our air defense,” he said in his Saturday address.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin will attend the meeting, which follows a postponed October summit due to Hurricane Milton. In its final weeks, the Biden administration is pushing to send as much military aid as possible to Ukraine before Donald Trump assumes office on January 20. Trump’s campaign promise to quickly end the war raises concerns about the future of US support for Ukraine. Despite heavy losses, Russia controls one-fifth of Ukraine and has made slow advances in eastern areas. Zelenskyy acknowledged the war’s unfavorable trajectory for Ukraine, with the country lacking enough troops on the front lines.

He reported significant losses for Russian and North Korean forces in the Kursk region, citing up to a battalion of infantry soldiers and paratroopers lost in battles near Makhnovka. In recent fighting, nine people were wounded in a Russian bomb attack in Semenivka, and Russia launched 103 drones overnight, with 61 shot down by Ukraine’s air force. No casualties were reported in the Russian regions affected by drone strikes.