West repelled strike on Israel, why not Ukraine, asks Estonia PM

Western armies helped Israel repel a massive drone and missile attack by Iran, so why not do so for Ukraine, Estonia's prime minister asked Wednesday as EU leaders gathered for talks.

Addressing reporters before the leaders' summit opened in Brussels, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas compared the weekend developments in the Middle East to the conflict on the EU's doorstep.

"Looking at the cooperation of different countries regarding their repulsion of Iran's attack against Israel, it shows that we can do more," said Kallas -- an outspoken Kremlin critic who is leading the drive to ramp up European support for Kyiv's war effort.

"We can provide air defence to Ukraine in a similar way, so that they are able to prevent the attacks going through," she said.

Tehran's launch of over 300 drones and missiles came in response to an April 1 strike on the Islamic Republic's consulate in Damascus, largely attributed to Israel.

Damage and casualties remained limited as Israel's air defences intercepted most of them in an effort joined by US, British, French and Jordanian forces.

For Arab states, Russia's overt invasion of Ukraine has represented both challenges and opportunities. Two years on, @GiorgioCafiero examines what they are 👇 https://t.co/TwHP49XjpK

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) March 10, 2024

In the wake of the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies to show the same "unity" towards Ukraine as it did for Israel, and the country's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba specifically suggested Kyiv should enjoy the same cover from aerial attacks.

"These are the same drones that are attacking Ukraine night and day," echoed Kallas -- referring to the Iran-designed Shahed attack drones being launched by Russian forces against Ukraine.

"So if the same allies are able to take them down there, they are able to take them down in Ukraine," Kallas said.

"It shows that we can cooperate and we can do this," she said.

Ukraine has grown increasingly desperate in its pleas for more Western aid, including more sophisticated air defences it says are urgently needed to repel devastating Russian attacks on its infrastructure.