Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy stated that NATO has the capacity, together with Ukraine, to counter the challenges of modern warfare. Zelenskiy spoke at the Defense Industry Forum held as part of the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ankara.
Speaking at the forum held at ATO Congresium, Zelenskiy said, "We must be a part of NATO's collective defense. This will make all of us stronger."
Ukraine's UAV capacity
The Ukrainian leader thanked for the interest shown in his country's defense companies and capabilities. Zelenskiy said, "These capabilities are among the strongest in Europe, especially those that have proven their effectiveness on the modern battlefield."
Zelenskiy stressed that the combat environment is undergoing a transformation on a scale similar to that of the First World War era. He noted that there have been significant changes in the fields of unmanned aerial vehicles, remote combat means, and military technologies.
The Ukrainian President stated that his country is fighting in legitimate self-defense, claiming that Ukrainian forces neutralize approximately 30,000 Russian soldiers monthly and that most of these are carried out using unmanned aerial vehicles.
Naval unmanned vehicles and multi-front combat
Zelenskiy stated that thanks to Ukraine's naval unmanned vehicles, it has been able to ensure security in the Black Sea. He explained that these vehicles are not just strike platforms used to destroy Russian ships, but have transformed into multi-purpose platforms.
Zelenskiy said, "Our naval unmanned vehicles can attack various targets on land and in the air from the sea. We also fight in the sky, we are waging war on two fronts. We are also using our unmanned vehicles in our temporarily occupied territories." He added that this allows them to carry out combat in all occupied areas.
Air defense systems and the need for Patriots
The Ukrainian leader stated that the interception rate of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles exceeds 90 percent. He claimed that thousands of Russian UAVs are shot down weekly and that no other country has such a level of defense capability against them.
Zelenskiy stressed that thanks to partners' air defense systems and support, the interception rate of cruise missiles has also significantly increased. Underscoring the need to establish a strong defense system against Russian ballistic missiles in Europe, Zelenskiy said, "This is the last major advantage remaining in Russia's hands. As the conflicts in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf have shown, this is a matter of global importance."
Noting that current Patriot production is insufficient to meet the growing need for protection against ballistic missiles, Zelenskiy called on Europe to develop its own missile defense systems. He said, "We cannot wait until 2030 or later. Europe needs cost-effective, mass-producible missile defense systems, and it needs them urgently, even today."
NATO membership and emphasis on collective defense
Zelenskiy stated that air defense is currently the main priority for Ukraine, saying, "We can do everything else ourselves, we really can. But when it comes to air defense, we need partners." He called for air defense to be one of the main decisions at the NATO summit in Ankara.
Emphasizing that Ukraine has strong defense potential even though it is not a NATO member, Zelenskiy said, "If you can fight like Ukrainians, we believe that we must be part of NATO's collective defense. This will make all of us stronger."
Zelenskiy argued that Ukraine has destroyed the myth of Russia's strategic superiority. Claiming that there is no major oil refinery left in Russia that Ukraine has not attacked, Zelenskiy said, "We are not like Putin. We do not fight for pleasure or for geopolitical goals like Putin. Russia brought war to our land, is killing our people, and is trying to take away our independence. We are only defending ourselves."
