Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Western allies of failing to supply the Patriot air defense missiles that Ukraine needs. Zelensky said that the US and European countries have these missiles in storage but that a 'political decision' is needed for shipment.
According to The Washington Post, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are facing a critical shortage of missiles for Patriot systems. This is seriously weakening the country's air defense capabilities.
Russia, for its part, has taken a hard line against arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that any cargo carrying weapons to Ukraine would be a legitimate target for Russia. Kremlin spokespeople also stated that the West arming Ukraine would not contribute to negotiations and would have a negative impact. Russia maintains that such shipments prevent the conflict from being resolved and are drawing NATO countries directly into the conflict.