Zelenskyy Renews Calls for More Air-Defense Systems During Armenia Summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asking Western allies to speed up deliveries of air-defense systems and interceptor missiles. The request aims to prepare for another winter of intense bombing that could prove to be the next critical moment in Kyiv’s battle to resist the Russian invasion.

The topic of accelerated air-defense deliveries came up during Zelenskyy’s discussions with European leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Those talks took place at a summit meeting in Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, earlier this week. While the request isn’t new, Kyiv has been pressing allies to supply air defense systems continuously since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Japan Times reported that the appeal has taken on fresh urgency.

Ukraine’s power and heating facilities have become increasingly difficult to sustain after years of Russian airstrikes against civilian infrastructure. The Japan Times reported on May 7, 2026 that the discussions in Yerevan highlighted the mounting strain on Ukrainian energy systems.

A soldier prepares to fire a cannon from an artillery position in the Sumy region of Ukraine, an image that underscored the persistent military pressure on the ground even as air defenses remain a top diplomatic priority.