Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that his country is doing “everything” to get new air defense systems from the West before winter to counter waves of bombing by Russian forces.

“We are doing everything to get Ukraine more air defense systems before winter. And now we are waiting for concrete decisions from our partners,” Zelensky said in a video message posted on social media this evening.

He also called for “as soon as possible” the work needed to ensure the protection and reconstruction of key infrastructure in Ukrainian cities.

Russia unleashed waves of massive bombing against Ukrainian infrastructure in the winter of 2022, often plunging millions of people into darkness and cold.

The West has supplied Ukraine with air defense systems, including Patriot arrays, but these are not enough to intercept all of Russia’s missiles and drones.

For their part, Ukrainian forces frequently launch airstrikes against targets on Russian soil.

The US military gave Ukraine munitions from Iran that had been confiscated

The United States announced tonight that it has given Ukraine small-caliber ammunition seized during its transfer from Iran to Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

The announcement comes at a time when support for Ukraine has been criticized by right-wing US lawmakers and a major Washington aid to Kiev has been hit by the temporary deal to avert a federal budget impasse reached last week.

The United States on Monday transferred “nearly 1.1 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the armed forces of Ukraine,” according to a statement from the US military’s Middle East Command (Centcom).