Zelensky Says NATO, PURL Guarantee, Key in Defeating Russia’s ‘Final Argument’

June 4 ------ Ukrainian cities, critical infrastructure and the country’s defense industry are among Russia’s primary targets in an escalating campaign of missile and drone strikes that President Volodymyr Zelensky now calls the Kremlin’s “final argument” in its war on Ukraine.

In an earlier Telegram post on Wednesday, Zelensky argued that sustained Western backing could help force Moscow towards diplomacy. “Ballistics are Russia’s final argument in this war, and we need to find sufficient countermeasures. I thank our partners and [NATO Secretary General] Mark Rutte for the PURL program that exists and is working. There were contributions in May. There will be contributions in June as well. Today, we discussed how we can speed up and increase supplies within this key program.” 

He also thanked Ukraine’s partners already in joint production projects, which he said are helping finance the expansion of Ukraine’s arms manufacturing. “We discussed with the NATO Secretary General some additional measures that can give Ukraine more long-term financial security guarantees. We will continue this work at the G7 summit and at the NATO summit in Ankara.”

First NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Kyiv

Hosting the first-ever meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council in Kyiv, Zelensky characterized the high-level presence of ambassadors and defense officials as a deliberate signal of unity from Europe, the US, Canada, and other partners. 

The breadth of representation, he said, shows that allies remain committed not only to Ukraine’s security but also to compelling Russia to end what he called its “senseless aggression.” “Today, six countries have decided that they will make contributions to the PURL,” Zelensky said. “I am grateful to them.” Pressure is mounting, shaped by ongoing Russian overnight strikes on Ukraine’s capital and other regions, as well as a recent Russian drone causing damage to a residential apartment building in Romania.

Zelensky said ballistic missiles, with their speed and destructive payloads, now pose the greatest threat to Ukraine’s security, even compared to the massive drone waves that systematically target cities and energy infrastructure. “Just yesterday, in a single massive attack, Russia killed 23 people in our country, including children. The Russians used a large number of drones – more than 650 during the night, and about 100 more during the day. But the most dangerous threat, of course, is missiles.”

According to the president, Russia has the capacity to produce about 120 ballistic missiles per month, in addition to other types of missiles. This, he said, allows Moscow to carry out several large-scale attacks on Ukraine every month. At the same time, Zelensky pointed to Ukraine’s own battlefield performance and long-range strike capabilities as key levers in changing the course of the war. Ukrainian forces are holding strong positions on the front line, gradually reclaiming occupied territory. “In May, Russia achieved almost no significant results on the battlefield. And this matters,” Zelensky said.

Source: kyivpost.com