Ukraine calls for help to fend off Russian airstrikes on energy infrastructure
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told a gathering of seven Nordic and Baltic foreign ministers on Monday that the country needed power equipment and improved air defenses to fend off Russian air strikes on energy infrastructure.
Kuleba was flanked by officials from Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“To restore order, we need two things,” Kuleba told a news conference.
“We need power equpment… This is the largest component of the energy infrastructure to be restored… And we need an air defense that allows us to shoot down Russian missiles targeting our infrastructure”.
The Ukrainian minister’s remarks came as utility workers in the country scramble to restore power and other services in the wake of the recent Russian attacks last week.
“But it is also important that we have delegations like this in Ukraine … And for that we thank our colleagues,” he added.
The ministers issued a joint statement after their talks calling for efforts to improve Ukraine’s air defenses.
They said that the principles of sovereignty and equality of all states would be under threat unless Russia was met with a firm response to its attacks.
Earlier, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Rainsalo told Reuters in an interview that Western countries should strengthen their support for Kiev.
“The strongest message from this visit is that Ukraine must win this war and therefore must strengthen Western support… And increase heavy weapons without any political caveats, including long-range missiles as well,” he added.
He called for a stronger package of sanctions against Russia, greater isolation of Moscow, and the establishment of an “international tribunal on the crime of aggression” launched by Russia.
Russia launched its latest barrage of missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure last Wednesday, causing power outages across the country.
