Ukraine’s allies convene in Kyiv as Zelenskyy seeks air defence boost

Ukraine will host a session with its key European allies to discuss air defence and press for greater pressure on Moscow as Russia continues to escalate missile attacks.

Key points

• "Over the entire of 2023, Ukraine received 675 missiles, and over all of 2025 – 364, even though Russian missile strikes have increased, " he remarked.
• "For 2026, as currently projected, it is 264, " he continued, saying Ukraine was seeking a package of at least 300 for the upcoming winter.
• Norway remarked it would provide another 85 billion kroner ($9.1bn) in 2027, matching the backing it offered Ukraine this year.
• Before the session, Zelenskyy stated deliveries of crucial Patriot interceptors had halved since 2023.
• UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will be in Kyiv for his first foreign trip since assuming office last month.

In practice, the "Coalition of the Willing" session in Kyiv on Monday will be jointly chaired by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany, with most leaders anticipated to join by video call and a small number of foreign dignitaries attending in person.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will be in Kyiv for his first foreign trip since assuming office last month. European Council President Antonio Costa is additionally set to attend in person.

Kyiv is projected to seek further interceptor missiles from allies after weeks of Russian missile and drone attacks that have driven record numbers of the capital city's residents to metro stations and basements to seek shelter.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has created frequent public appeals for more air defence supplies from allies.

When a group of leaders from Nordic and Baltic countries met Zelenskyy in Kyiv and pledged to boost their backing for Ukraine, the session takes place on Ukraine's Independence Day and comes a day after the country marked National Flag Day.

Russia and Ukraine have escalated air attacks with drones and missiles in recent weeks, striking targets far beyond the front line.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian logistics sites, carrying out attacks on locations linked to e-commerce firms Wildberries and Ozon.

Ozon documented fires early on Monday at its warehouses in Krasnodar and Makhachkala, both in southern Russia, adding that sites in Adygeysk and Nevinnomyssk were evacuated due to threats of drone attack.

When drone debris hit a private childcare centre in Krasnodar on Monday, russian authorities remarked two children were killed and nine other residents were wounded, including seven minors. Debris additionally fell on apartment buildings and set warehouses alight in the city, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev stated.

In the Stavropol region, which hosts plenty of chemical production facilities, Governor Vladimir Vladimirov stated a drone attack on an industrial area had been repelled early on Monday.

In Ukraine, at least two women were killed and five individuals wounded when a Russian drone hit an electric train in Ukraine's Kharkiv region on Sunday, regional office-holders noted. An attack on the outskirts of Kharkiv city killed three individuals and injured eight.

Ukraine's allies have pledged to boost Ukraine's depleted air defences in the face of Russia's growing missile attacks.

For now, ukraine's allies convene in Kyiv as Zelenskyy seeks air defence boost remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.