Zelenskiy asks Trump for air defence as Russia escalates strike threats

By Yuliia Dysa and Daniel Flynn

KYIV, ‌May 27 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr ​Zelenskiy urged ​U.S. President Donald Trump to help Ukraine with air defence systems and interceptors as Russia threatens new strikes, saying that ballistic missiles remain Moscow's "last major advantage on the battlefield."

In a ‌letter to Trump and the U.S. Congress, seen by Reuters, Zelenskiy said: "I ask for your ⁠help in protecting Ukraine's skies from Russian missiles. We have already proposed that Ukraine is ready to purchase the number of Patriot ‌systems and interceptor missiles we need."

Ukraine's ‌only means to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles is U.S.-made interceptors for the Patriot air defence system. Throughout four years of war, Kyiv has been short of interceptors, but the Iran war has threatened to ​make resources even more scarce.

Since Trump took office, Ukraine has been purchasing Patriot missiles through NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, financed by its European allies.

"But the current pace of deliveries through the PURL program ⁠is no longer keeping up with the reality of the threat we face," Zelenskiy said in his letter.

"For us - for a nation fighting for ​its survival - there is hardly anything more painful to see than Patriot batteries with no missiles loaded," he added.

ZELENSKIY SAYS ACTION NEEDED

Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy ​noted it was rare for a foreign leader to address a ‌letter simultaneously to the U.S. president and Congress, "but the current situation requires action, swift and effective action. It is important that America hears Ukraine."

Zelenskiy said ensuring Ukraine's protection ⁠from Russian ballistic missiles was critical to negotiating peace.

"The sooner we can provide greater protection against ballistic missiles, the faster we can ensure that diplomacy works," he said. "As long as Russia relies on missiles, its interest in diplomacy is not genuine. ⁠We must correct this and we can only correct it together, with America."

The letter was first reported by Ukrainian media outlet ​The Kyiv Independent.

Russia used 30 ballistic missiles against Ukraine in its latest massive strike on Sunday, and only 11 of them were shot down, according to Ukraine's air force.

Zelenskiy also said Moscow's troops launched two nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic Oreshnik missiles for that ‌strike.

"One struck the Kyiv region, while another, reportedly, fell in temporarily occupied territory in Ukraine's Donetsk region."

In the letter, the Ukrainian leader outlined Ukraine's success in fending ‌off Russia's full-scale aggression, now well into its fifth year, and expressed gratitude for U.S. support.

"But as long as Putin ⁠still has even one meaningful advantage in conventional ‌weapons, he will avoid conventional diplomacy. ​Today, his ballistic missiles remain exactly that — his last major advantage on the battlefield," Zelenskiy added.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Daniel Flynn; Editing by Toby Chopra, Chiara Rodriquez, Rod Nickel and ‌Ron Popeski)

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