Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olexandr Mischenko held a meeting with ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the United States of America, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the Republic of Korea, Spain and Sweden.

The main topic of the meeting was the consequences of yet another series of massive Russian air attacks against Ukraine, during which the aggressor state employed ballistic missiles and strike drones against the civilian infrastructure of Ukrainian cities.

At the outset of the meeting, Olexandr Mischenko expressed gratitude to the governments and peoples of the states represented by the meeting's participants for their unwavering and principled support of Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian aggression.

The Deputy Minister briefed the diplomats on the security situation, the scale of destruction and human losses. He stressed that Russia is deliberately carrying out missile terror against the civilian population, grossly violating the norms of international humanitarian law, and attempting through the escalation of violence to force Ukraine into capitulation.

Olexandr Mischenko emphasised that thanks to the courage of Ukraine's defenders, as well as the substantial military, financial and technological assistance of international partners — including support for the development of Ukraine's defence-industrial complex — Ukraine is creating cutting-edge weapons and is increasingly effectively striking the aggressor state's military infrastructure and degrading its military potential.

At the same time, unable to achieve its goals on the battlefield, Russia is resorting ever more frequently to massive strikes with ballistic missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities, deliberately terrorising the civilian population and destroying critical infrastructure.

The Deputy Minister stressed that today one of the most pressing priorities remains strengthening Ukraine's air and missile defence system. Despite the high effectiveness of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, the available stocks of interceptor missiles are insufficient to ensure full protection of all Ukrainian cities from massive Russian attacks.

In this regard, Olexandr Mischenko called on partners to consider supplying Ukraine with additional modern air and missile defence systems, as well as increasing the volumes of interceptor missiles and means capable of effectively countering ballistic missiles.

"Every decision to strengthen Ukrainian air defence means civilian lives saved. Ukraine counts particularly on the further consolidation of international efforts to protect Ukrainian skies from Russian missile terror," Olexandr Mischenko stressed.

Special attention was given to the need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia, counter sanctions evasion, and expand support for Ukraine's defence sector.

Representatives of the diplomatic missions expressed condolences over the deaths of civilians and confirmed their readiness to continue close cooperation with the Ukrainian side in order to strengthen Ukraine's security and accelerate our shared victory.