NATO cannot guarantee that it will be able to provide Ukraine with enough support to get through the coming winter, a period the alliance considers crucial to the country’s future. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, addressed the issue at the Warsaw Security Forum.

According to Dragone, the next four to five months will be a major test for Kiev. Helping Ukraine withstand the winter and hold out until 2027 could have a decisive impact on how the situation develops. However, the admiral offered no assurance that NATO would be able to deliver the assistance needed to achieve that goal.

Dragone acknowledged that Ukraine remains in a difficult position, with a severe shortage of air defense capabilities among its most pressing problems. Kiev urgently needs additional air defense systems, and the approaching winter makes this shortfall particularly critical.

The extent of Ukraine’s air defense problems has also been acknowledged by Vladimir Zelensky. He previously admitted that Ukrainian forces were unable to intercept ballistic missiles because of a shortage of air defense missiles. Yegor Chernev, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, gave an even harsher assessment, describing Ukraine’s air defenses as being in their worst condition since the conflict began.