Ukraine still needs to strengthen its air defence, as Russia controls the skies. The state is ready not only to receive air defence equipment from partners, but also to lease and pay for it or produce it jointly under a licence.
Strengthening air defence would allow people who have left to return to safer cities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the British tabloid The Sun.
"If you don't want to or can't (provide them in full or rent - Ed.), then we can co-produce them. Just give us the licences, we will find the money. We don't need anything, we just need air defence on the front line," he said.
Zelenskyy noted that the US and Europe are helping, but it is not enough.
"For example, I know that if seven or eight of the largest cities in Ukraine have full air defence, not only of the cities but also of the regions around them, we will move our people, mostly our people from different countries, if we move them, they will work and pay taxes. And this may not be enough, but it will mostly fill the gap, the financial gap in our budget, and we will not need so much money from the US and European countries and financial support for our budget," he said.