"Ukraine Belongs in NATO", Zelenskyy Delivers Powerful Speech at NATO Summit in Ankara | AC1G

In his speech at the NATO summit in Ankara, President Zelenskyy argued that modern warfare has been revolutionized by drones and long-range strike technology, citing Ukraine's elimination of around 30,000 Russian soldiers monthly, with nearly 28,000 in June alone, mostly by drones. He highlighted Ukraine's naval drone capabilities in the Black Sea and its interception rate of over 90% against Russian Shahed drones. Zelenskyy made the case that Ukraine's proven defensive capabilities make it a natural NATO member, stating 'Ukraine in NATO is a source of extraordinary defensive capability.' He noted that Ukrainian drones have struck every major Russian oil refinery, including one in Siberia the previous day. He called for Europe to urgently develop its own anti-ballistic missile systems, saying this 'cannot wait until 2030,' and requested more air defense missiles as a top priority, urging NATO leaders to support Patriot production licenses with American partners.

Key takeaways

1. Ukraine eliminates around 30,000 Russian soldiers monthly, with nearly 28,000 in June, mostly by drones.
2. Ukraine's interception rate against Russian Shahed drones exceeds 90%, shooting down thousands weekly.
3. Ukrainian drones have struck every major Russian oil refinery, including one in Siberia yesterday.
4. Europe needs affordable, mass-produced anti-ballistic systems 'today,' not by 2030 or beyond.
5. Ukraine's top priority is more air defense missiles from partners; it can do everything else itself.

Numbers and commitments

Chapters

1. 0:00Modern warfare and drone revolution
2. 3:00Ukraine's drone capabilities and Black Sea operations
3. 5:39Case for NATO membership
4. 6:41Strikes on Russian oil refineries
5. 8:12Drone deal initiative and partnerships
6. 9:36Need for European anti-ballistic systems
7. 12:02Call for air defense missiles and NATO support