Ukraine is expecting its partners' permission to use the long-range weapons provided by them to strike military targets in the territory of Russia, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has said, calling on the allies to deliver the previously announced Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine.

"We expect the permission. And we expect the delivery of missiles which can be used for that purpose. Since the very beginning of the invasion, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries act as a coalition. And such an important player as the European Union has a say in this discussion. And I am calling on the EU to play a role and to make their point very clearly and strongly," he told reporters during a joint doorstep with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell ahead of an informal meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Thursday.

The minister also noted that the permission is something that needs to be done now "to maintain the momentum and to continue with suppressing the Russian capacity to destroy Ukraine and advance in the east of my country."

"All decisions are on the table. […] What we want to avoid, is the situation when the public messages are that no one in principle is against deep strikes in Russia, but no real action is made to allow. And this real action is to send the missiles and allow us to use them in the territory of Russia," he said.

Kuleba once again emphasized that it is about "legitimate military targets."

He added that "in the end we solve all the problems" and that is why Ukraine has an open conversation with the UK, with the United States, asking them not to waste the momentum.

"What really matters is the timing," the minister underlined.

"We pay for all these delays with the damage and the loss of lives. Particularly, I would like to take this opportunity and call in a diplomatic way, but my colleagues will understand me, call on all countries who pledged to deliver Patriot systems months ago to finally deliver them. They are there, they are ready for delivery. What is lacking is just the final go, the green light to do it," Kuleba said.

He added that "whatever the reasons are, it is time to do it as we entering the autumn season" and Russia has shown how it would act with another massive attack on Ukraine with the use of missiles and drones.

Kuleba once again pointed out the need to minimize delays in the delivery of military assistance as the gap between the announcement of assistance packages and their delivery is sometimes still quite large.