ISTANBUL

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal on Monday met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, urging further air defense support as Russian missile and drone strikes continue.

Shmyhal said on Telegram that he thanked Rutte for his “leadership and support” and briefed him on battlefield developments and Ukraine’s priority defense needs.

The talks centered on bolstering Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.

“The key issue is strengthening air defense. To deter Russia’s missile and drone terror, additional air defense systems and interceptors are required,” he said, adding that the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative remains “critically important” for stable ammunition and equipment supplies.

He stressed that Ukraine is continuing to adapt its defense sector to NATO standards and is advancing joint projects with partners.

The PURL initiative is a US-NATO program that allows European and Canadian NATO member states to fund the purchase of American-manufactured weapons for Ukraine.