With the delivery of the German weapon system IRIS-T SLM, “a new era of air defense has begun,” according to Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg meanwhile emphasizes the urgency of further deliveries. Air defense systems are currently the top priority.
In view of the recent Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has made the delivery of more defensive weapons a priority. “The allies have already delivered air defense systems, but we need more of them,” Stoltenberg said at a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels. Ukraine had previously received the first IRIS-T SLM system from Germany.
Different types of air defense systems are needed, Stoltenberg said. It is about defending against Russian short and long-range missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. The delivery is urgent to help Ukraine “defend more cities and more territory against the horrific Russian attacks on civilians,” the Norwegian said.
Representatives of up to 50 countries from the so-called Ukraine Contact Group initially wanted to meet at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon. In addition to US Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov are also taking part.
Resnikov confirmed the arrival of the German IRIS-T SLM weapon system in Ukraine on Tuesday evening. “A new era of air defense has begun,” he wrote on Twitter. Germany wants to deliver a total of four of the state-of-the-art systems that, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, can protect “an entire city from Russian air raids”.
On Thursday, NATO defense ministers will discuss Russia’s nuclear threats and the need to replenish its own armaments stocks. According to Stoltenberg, NATO will begin its annual Steadfast Noon nuclear weapons maneuver next week.
