On Wednesday 10 April, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, urged EU Member States to identify available equipment that Ukraine needs, in particular air defence systems and ammunition.
On the night of 10-11 April, Russia fired more than 40 missiles and deployed 40 drones against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
“At the next joint EU foreign and defence ministers’ meeting, on 22 April, we must come together with tangible commitments and action”, said Mr Borrell on X (formerly Twitter) after a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba. Mr Kuleba and his Defence colleague Rustem Umerov have been invited to attend the Council meeting on 22 April. “Ukraine cannot wait”, warned the High Representative. According to him, Ukraine needs seven Patriot missile batteries and Western countries have around 100.
At the European Parliament plenary session on Thursday 11 April, Guy Verhofstadt (Renew Europe, Belgian) called on MEPs not to vote on the discharge of the Council’s budget before the Member States send Patriot systems to Ukraine. This request was approved by the European Parliament (see other news). “You have all seen the numerous attacks carried out by Russia against Ukrainian towns, hospitals, power stations and buildings, and I find it scandalous that (...) the European Council is not capable, in such an emergency, of sending a number of anti-missile systems to Ukraine”, explained Mr Verhofstadt.
The same day, on X, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, called for his country’s air defences to be strengthened. “All of our European neighbours and other partners see Ukraine's critical need for air defence systems. (...) We need air defence systems and other defence assistance, not just turning a blind eye and having lengthy discussions”, he stressed. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)