Zelensky to press Nato for air defence systems after intense Russian strikes

BBC News ^ | July 7, 2026 | Sarah Rainsford

[MinorityRepublican]

Ukraine's president plans to use the Nato meeting in Turkey to urge Kyiv's allies to deliver the air defence systems it urgently needs to protect it from escalating Russian attacks.

Volodymyr Zelensky's call for help rings with extra intensity after Russian missiles rained down on the Ukrainian capital twice in less than a week, crashing into blocks of flats and killing more than 50 civilians.

The summit in Ankara will also be a chance for Zelensky to hold a crucial meeting with Donald Trump and press home his case that Russia's "brutal" attacks are a show of weakness, not strength, and that Vladimir Putin should be pressured into talks towards a "dignified" peace.

The latest strikes on Ukraine come as it has been stepping up its own long-range drone attacks against Russia, hitting oil refineries and military targets there and causing significant fuel shortages and power cuts.

Underscoring that threat, Moscow's mayor Sergei Sobyanin said anti-air defences intercepted "most" of the 430 unmanned aerial drones fired by Ukraine towards the capital overnight. The severity of the damage was not immediately clear.

Russian social media accounts are full of videos of people queuing for hours to buy petrol and fighting over what little they're allowed.

On the eve of the Nato gathering, which will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Zelensky voiced hope that the meeting in Turkey would not be "empty".

[nathanbedford]

Every night, Ukraine demonstrates to the world its pioneering technology in the art of real defense against drones and slower moving missiles at a price that can be maintained at scale. Ukraine is revolutionizing the art of war.

Unfortunately, every night it is also revealed that defense against high-speed missiles is a technology obtainable only at the highest cost. The United States has developed such technology in the form of patriot missiles, but they are expensive per copy and, in the wake of the Iran war, President Trump claims that we have too few of them to permit the sale of Patriots to Ukraine.

Last night, at least 22 people were killed by Russian missiles in Ukraine, so President Zelinski is expected to renew his call for access to these missiles.

A win-win solution permits European nations, including Ukraine, to be licensed to produce the Patriot missile systems. Although proprietary secret technology would inevitably be broadened perhaps sooner than otherwise, the gain for America would prove well worth that risk.

First, the American treasury would be enriched by a royalty for every missile produced. Second, the security of Europe would be immeasurably increased, thus secondarily improving the security of the United States. Third, the cost of the technology would be rapidly reduced as these missiles are produced at scale and the technology itself advances. Fourth, the power of Russia to intimidate its neighbors, and ultimately American interests in places like the Arctic, would be checkmated.

A win-win-win for America, European nations, and Ukraine.

[McGruff]

[tennmountainman]

We need those weapons to protect our allies in the Gulf.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "A win-win-win for America, European nations, and Ukraine."

Odd. That sounds quite like a classic proxy war, in which other nations offer all assistance other than direct involvement, though you eschewed the lingo in another thread. Since it would be a "win-win-win" in your estimation, it is recommended that you offer your advice to the proper authorities:

U.S. Consulate General Düsseldorf

Willi-Becker-Allee 10
40227 Düsseldorf
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel.: +49-30-8305-0

U.S. Consulate General Frankfurt

Gießener Str. 30
60435 Frankfurt am Main
Federal Republic of Germany
Phone: (069) 7535-0

U.S. Consulate General Hamburg

Kehrwieder 8
20457 Hamburg
Federal Republic of Germany
Phone (030) 8305-0

U.S. Consulate General Leipzig

Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Straße 4
04107 Leipzig
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-30-8305-0

U.S. Consulate General Munich

Königinstraße 5
80539 München
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel.: +49-89-2888-0

Additionally you might want to offer your advice directly to the US administration: White House Contact Form, Washington, DC

[oldtech]

I’m thinking ...isn’t it past time that this whole mess was over?

[oldtech]

I’m thinking ...isn’t it past time that this whole mess was over?

[packrat35]

No to money, no to arms, just no to anything for Ukraine.

[tlozo]

"A Russian missile wiped out an entire family. Will this photograph stop the war? Most likely not. But I believe the world needs to see the truth," said photographer Yefrem Lukatsky. "I hope those whom this photograph will hurt can forgive me. Kyiv, July 6, 2026," he added.

[tlozo]

Odd. That sounds quite like a classic proxy war

And pray tell, what is wrong with us conducting a proxy war against our enemy, Russia? Russia has certainly helped our enemies in times of conflict.

[nathanbedford]

No to money, no to arms, just no to anything for Ukraine.

And no to the 22 innocent victims who died in their beds last night by Russian rockets.

[packrat35]

Don’t care, not my circus, not my monkeys. However, it is my dollars.

[Mariner]

And fifth, the tech would be in the hands of Russia and China within a month, rendering it far less effective when we, the US, need it next.

I don’t mind trusting Japan with this tech, but NOBODY in Europe is worthy of that trust.

[Mariner]

If Russia flattened Kiev and killed half the population, most Americans would not care one whit.

Myself included.

[mewzilla]

Tell ut to Canada, the UK, Western Europe.

They keep buying Russian energy, pouring billions into Russia’s coffers...

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

---- "And pray tell, what is wrong with us conducting a proxy war...."

Thanks for replying to my reply to another, with whom I had a back-and-forth about the term, "proxy war." Without context, you might mistake the content which preceded.

Proxy wars have a history of millennia. Nothing new in that, and there is nothing new in nations in these last few decades engaging in proxy wars. Another was balking at the term; not I. I was in fact quoting Secretary of State Rubio who made the statement. To revisit his remark:

From a longer article:

"According to Rubio, U.S. President Donald Trump sees the all-out war against Ukraine as 'a protracted, stalemated conflict.'

" 'And frankly, it’s a proxy war between nuclear powers — the United States, helping Ukraine, and Russia – and it needs to come to an end,' Rubio said.

"The secretary of state said that continuing to give Ukraine weapons 'as much as they need for as long as it takes' is 'not a strategy'."

Source: Rubio labels Russia's all-out war against Ukraine 'proxy war' between Washington, Moscow Kyiv Independent, 6 March 2025

Our nation has parcipated in some way in many proxy wars, as have other nations. Both parties have participated over time, as you surely are aware.

In that regard, an interesting article predating this moment is worth a look:

"Twenty-nine people have formally served as U.S. national security adviser since the National Security Act of 1947 established the post. Originally described as the 'executive secretary' of a small coordinating body, the National Security Council, to 'assess and appraise' U.S. national security objectives and consider policies to advance those goals, the position has evolved into one of the most demanding and powerful roles in the U.S. government. Two people who have held the title stand out from the rest: Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski."

Further, the article notes: "Brzezinski was the last U.S. national security adviser who thought primarily, almost obsessively, in terms of systems and historical forces. This outlook was surely shaped by his Po­lish roots and his intimate knowledge of the Central and Eastern European 'bloodlands,' to borrow the historian Timothy Snyder’s term, that endured Stalin’s and Hitler’s horrors in the mid-twentieth century. The sensibility that history never ends, that societies and governmental systems are more brittle than they may appear, and that protecting them requires constant vigilance is less prevalent today than it used to be. Yet the world now holds more threats to U.S. values and interests than at any time over the last half century. Brzezinski’s example can help American policymakers appreciate the risks and chart a path forward."

Source: Grand Chessmaster - The Strategies of Zbigniew Brzezinski Foreign Affairs, September/October 2025

Some like Brzezinski are "world regent" thinkers, though of course one "world regent" will inevitably come into conflict with a competing "world regent," and then there's the Rubio notion that, as above, " 'for as long as it takes' is 'not a strategy'."

[nathanbedford]

Don’t care, not my circus, not my monkeys. However, it is my dollars.

And it's is your conscience, such as it is.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

Errata -- the URL for the FA article is:

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/grand-chessmaster-zbigniew-brzezinski-donilon

[1Old Pro]

why is he even there?

[nathanbedford]

NOBODY in Europe is worthy of that trust.

You are a little late to the party,

Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Sweden already have Patriot. Although they do not have plans to build the Patriot, there is always the possibility of reverse engineering. Anyway, I understand the secret is in the chip so mere possession of the weapon is probably not that dangerous.