Germany's foreign minister says in Kyiv that air defenses are an 'absolute priority' for Ukraine

abcnews.go.com:

Germany’s foreign minister says sending air defense systems to Ukraine to help protect it from Russian cruise missiles, rockets and drones is an “absolute priority.”

KYIV, Ukraine — 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 the country during the war. Civilian areas as well as the power grid and military targets have repeatedly been hit.

While the bombing goes on, Ukraine’s depleted troops are trying to hold off a fierce Russian offensive along the eastern border in one of the most critical phases of the war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Germany recently pledged a third U.S.-made Patriot battery for Ukraine, but Kyiv officials say they are still facing an alarming shortfall of air defenses against the Russian onslaught.

The Kremlin's forces have used their advantage in the skies to debilitate Ukraine's power grid, hoping to sap Ukrainian morale and