NATO countries 'need to do more' to boost Ukraine air defences: Rutte
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged alliance members on Wednesday to ramp up air defense supplies to Ukraine as Russian strikes intensify ahead of winter, warning that allies must "do more" to counter Moscow's unrelenting campaign.
- World
- AFP
- Published Date: 02:35 PM 14 October 2026
NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday urged alliance members to step up support for Ukraine's air defences, as Russia's strikes pound the country.
"With winter coming and with Russia's aggression unrelenting, allies need to do more, especially in support of air defence," Rutte said at a press conference in Estonia.
Heavy overnight Russian strikes killed at least seven people in Ukraine and cut power to large parts of the capital Kyiv, authorities said on Wednesday.
The attacks on multiple regions came after President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had received no advance warning from Western allies before a Russian strike on a Kyiv power plant.
Ukraine was already struggling to shoot down Russian missiles due to a shortage of air defences -- especially US-made Patriot interceptors.
NATO and EU officials have said they are asking countries to dig deeper into their stockpiles to supply Ukraine with air defences.