Borrell on providing Ukraine with air defense systems, including Patriot: I hope there will be concrete decisions on Monday.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell hopes that Monday’s meeting of foreign and defense ministers will allow for concrete decisions to be made on providing Ukraine with air defense systems, including Patriot systems.

According to Censor.NET, citing Interfax-Ukraine, he said this on Friday in Capri (Italy) following the first day of the G7 foreign ministers' meeting, which also included a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

According to Borrell, Kuleba "explained to us the situation in the country" in connection with Russia's continuous shelling of Ukrainian cities, which leads to civilian casualties and the destruction of the country's energy structure. "To avoid this, it is necessary to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. To this end, member states have been asked to provide air defense systems that are particularly effective against supersonic missiles - the famous Patriot - but also any other systems that can help them avoid destruction... And I hope that on Monday, at the meeting of the foreign and defense ministers - I have convened them in Luxembourg - it will be possible to make concrete decisions," he said.

Read more: At peace summit in Switzerland, world should show how it sees the end of war in Ukraine - Borrell

Borrell noted that "some countries have already done this," expressing hope that "others will do it too."

"We have to help Ukraine avoid destruction. Before we talk about reconstruction, we have to talk about how to avoid destruction. It will always be cheaper, less painful and more effective to avoid the destruction of a power plant that does not need to be restored. Besides, Ukraine cannot continue to defend itself without electricity," Borrell added.

Read more: EU should supply Ukraine with Patriot and other air defence systems from its arsenals - Borrell