Ukrainian president urges more defense, financial aid at NATO summit, NATO has agreed to a long-term financial and military aid package - China.org.cn

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday addressed a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit via a video link, urging more defense and financial assistance for Ukraine, the presidential press service reported.

In his speech, Zelensky said that Ukraine needs modern missile and air defense systems to protect its cities, and artillery to stand against Russia on the battlefields.

Financial support for Ukraine is no less important than aid with weapons, Zelensky said, noting that his country needs nearly 5 billion U.S. dollars per month for defense and protection.

The Ukrainian leader also called on the NATO member states to continue sanctions against Russia and provide Ukraine with security guarantees.

"We need security guarantees, and you have to find a place for Ukraine in the common security space," Zelensky stressed.

The three-day NATO summit kicked off in Madrid of Spain on June 28.

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NATO has agreed to a long-term financial and military aid package to modernise Ukraine’s largely Soviet-era military.

 The alliance’s new Strategic Concept document, its first since 2010, said that a “strong independent Ukraine is vital for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area”.

To that end, “We stand in full solidarity with the government and the people of Ukraine in the heroic defence of their country,” the communique said.

The communique also called Russia the “most significant and direct threat to the allies’ security”, having previously classified it as a “strategic partner”.