The head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, in an interview with German media Bild, Welt TV and Politico on Tuesday, criticized the West’s insufficient supply of artillery ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles after new strikes by Russia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro KulebaPhoto: Olivier Matthys / AP – The Associated Press / Profimedia

“The attacks (on Tuesday) on Kyiv and Kharkiv clearly demonstrate the need to provide more air defense systems and additional anti-aircraft missiles,” Dmytro Kuleba told Die Welt.

Regarding the situation at the front, Kuleba notes that this “insufficient amount of artillery ammunition was a problem from the beginning.” “And although Ukraine has significantly increased production, we see that the Western arms industry is not able to produce sufficient quantities,” he added.

Asked if he had given up hope that Germany would supply him with long-range Taurus missiles a week after a large majority in the Bundestag (the lower house of the German parliament) voted against it, Kuleba said: “We will never give up. “

“We are still discussing this issue with the German government. And I don’t think there is anything that has been buried forever. Everything depends on the political circumstances and needs at the front,” he added.

The Ukrainian minister rejected Germany’s fears that Kyiv could use missiles to attack Moscow or other targets in Russia. “We need the Taurus to destroy Russian military infrastructure behind the front line on Ukrainian territory,” he said.

For his part, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced the delivery of six multirole Sea King helicopters from the Bundeswehr’s stockpile in a statement released late Tuesday.

These helicopters, which could be delivered in the second quarter, “should help Ukraine in many areas, from monitoring the Black Sea to transporting troops,” Pistorius said.

The minister said this after a meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine, in which more than 50 states and organizations are planning forces on the Ukrainian front, AFP quotes.