.jpg)
Western partners have been considering key decisions on military aid to Ukraine for "too long," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"Every decision we come to, and later all of us together, is about a year late," he said in an interview with Reuters.
After six months of political wrangling and delays, the United States in April accepted a long-awaited $61 billion aid package. The next day, the Pentagon announced it was ready to send Kiev $1 billion worth of weapons from U.S. stockpiles.
During the six-month aid lapse, Ukraine lost the key frontline town of Avdeyevka in February amid an acute ammunition shortage.
Ukraine's air defence shortages have also been felt as Russia has stepped up its strikes across the country, mainly targeting energy infrastructure.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure have cost the country more than $1 billion.
The president described the delivery of aid, especially badly needed air defense, as "one big step forward, but before that two steps back."
Zelensky expects Western allies to become more directly involved in Ukraine's defense, helping intercept Russian missiles over the country and allowing Kiev to neutralize Russian military hardware with Western weapons.
"The Russians use 300 aircraft on Ukrainian territory," Zelensky said.
"We need at least 120, 130 planes to counter," the president added, referring to the F-16 fighter jets expected to be delivered to Ukraine this summer.
Zelensky said that if the allies cannot provide Ukraine with fighter jets sooner, they must repel Russian attacks, meaning NATO countries can use their air defense systems to defend Ukraine's western regions from Russian attacks.
The head of state also pointed out that there was "nothing positive" in talks with Western partners about using their weapons to strike Russian military sites along the border and further into Russian territory. /BGNES
