Zelenskyy: The Best Support from US Is Patriot Systems

Against the backdrop of the Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih on 4 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the best assistance from the United States would be to supply the country with new Patriot systems.

The Gaze reports it referring to the statement made by the head of state at a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Weever on 8 April.

‘As for the strike on Kryvyi Rih, it is a terrible blow. First of all, we sent signals to all partners who promised us additional air defence systems, additional Patriots. We wanted to ask them to reinforce as much as possible,’ Zelenskyy said.

According to Interfax-Ukraine news agency, the president thanked international partners who supported Ukraine and condemned the Russian strike, but added that there were few condemnations.

‘Even some of our very close partners were afraid to say whose missile it was, that it was Russian. But after our signals, I think they corrected the situation. But it can't be completely fixed. The Russians must be put in their place, they must end this war,’ the head of state said, referring to the US ambassador's reaction.

Zelenskyy said that the United States could provide Ukraine with Patriot systems, of which it has many in stock: ‘This is the best support for Ukraine today from the United States - to transfer Patriot systems.’

Ukraine is currently critically short of systems capable of intercepting enemy ballistic missiles.

As The Gaze reported earlier, the recent Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, a city in eastern Ukraine, has been identified as the deadliest attack for children in the past three years of war against Ukraine, according to UN representatives. The statement was made during a United Nations Security Council meeting by Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.