Germanys foreign minister says in Kyiv that air defenses are an absolute priority for Ukraine | KLRT [Video]

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Sending air defense systems to Ukraine to help protect it from Russian cruise missiles, rockets and drones is an “absolute priority,” Germany’s foreign minister said in Kyiv on Tuesday after visiting a local power plant that was largely reduced to ruins by a recent barrage.

Annalena Baerbock said that what she called a “global initiative” launched by Germany to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems had raised nearly 1 billion euros ($1.09 billion) — “but it is completely clear that even more is needed,” she said at a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Germany is the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States.

Ukrainian officials have for months pleaded with the country’s Western partners to supply it with further sophisticated air defense systems, especially U.S.-made Patriots, so Kyiv’s forces can fend off Russian air assaults that have pummeled …