Zelenskyy urges faster European air defense production at NATO summit
16:03, 07/07/2026, TuesdayU: Update: 16:08, 07/07/2026, Tuesday
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a speech at a podium during the Defense Industry Forum held within the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara, Turkiye, on July 7, 2026.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NATO allies gathered in Ankara on Tuesday that Ukraine has become a source of extraordinary defensive capability for the alliance, urging Europe to accelerate the mass production of anti-ballistic systems and speed up deliveries to protect critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy opened the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on Tuesday by calling on European allies to accelerate the development and mass production of air defense systems, asserting that Ukraine's battlefield experience has transformed it into a vital defensive asset for the alliance. Speaking at the opening event of the alliance's 2026 summit in Türkiye's capital, Zelenskyy urged expanded defense industrial cooperation and faster delivery of critical capabilities, stating that "Ukraine, in NATO, is a source of extraordinary defensive capability."
He stressed that Europe must build its own missile shield with affordable, mass-produced anti-ballistic systems available immediately. "Europe needs its own anti-ballistic systems and missiles, and this work is underway," Zelenskyy said, adding that the continent requires such capabilities "as soon as possible — in fact, today."
Alliance commitments
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte appeared alongside Zelenskyy following the address and praised Ukraine's resilience while emphasizing air defense as the alliance's top priority. "Welcome to the NATO summit. What we have seen over the last couple of months is what you guys are doing. It is really courageous," Rutte said, noting that protecting Ukraine's cities and vital infrastructure remains essential. Zelenskyy thanked Rutte and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the invitation, welcoming the forum as an opportunity for Ukrainian defense companies to share expertise with allied manufacturers.
Diplomatic backdrop
He identified securing Patriot missile systems as the immediate priority, saying allies must "find a way how to get, as quick as possible, missiles for Patriot systems." US President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for the two-day summit and is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Zelenskyy on Wednesday, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated from Addis Ababa that Moscow would closely monitor the outcome of that meeting, referencing understandings reached during last year's Russia-US summit in Alaska.
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