(MENAFN) Ukraine’s Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday, pressing for expanded air defense assistance as Russia continues missile and drone attacks. Shmyhal thanked Rutte for his “leadership and support” and provided updates on the battlefield as well as Ukraine’s pressing defense priorities, according to his Telegram post.

The discussions focused on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense systems. Shmyhal stated, “The key issue is strengthening air defense. To deter Russia’s missile and drone terror, additional air defense systems and interceptors are required.” He also highlighted the ongoing importance of the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, describing it as “critically important” for ensuring stable supplies of ammunition and equipment.

Shmyhal emphasized that Ukraine continues to modernize its defense sector according to NATO standards while advancing collaborative projects with international partners. The PURL initiative, a US-NATO program, enables European and Canadian NATO members to fund the purchase of American-made weapons for Ukraine.

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