German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on his fellow EU leaders to follow Berlin's lead and send Ukraine more Patriot air defense systems as it desperately tries to fend off Russian attacks, AFP reports.
"This is useful immediately, we want to encourage others to do the same," the German leader said, arriving for the EU summit in Brussels.
"Now it's about doing it quickly, not at some point in the future," he added.
Germany said it was sending Ukraine an additional Patriot air defense system after pleas from Kiev to its Western backer to urgently help repel Russian bombing.
Ukraine has said it has no weapons to shoot down Russian missiles and drones as Moscow has stepped up its attacks on infrastructure across the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was to repeat urgent calls for more aid in a video address to EU leaders.
Officials say Ukraine is seeking seven more Patriot systems from the West's reserves, as they alone are capable of shooting down Russia's hypersonic missiles.
"Every day and every night Ukrainian cities are bombed, which leads to the destruction of infrastructure, causes death," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.
Earlier today, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told alliance countries that they should provide even more of their stockpiles to help Ukraine.
"If allies are faced with a choice between achieving NATO's objectives and providing more assistance to Ukraine, my message is clear: send more to Ukraine," he said. / BGNES
