Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the leaders of the G7 countries to increase air defense capabilities and support his initiative for an international observer mission on the Belarusian border.

In a virtual meeting with G7 leaders, Zelenskyy called for tough new sanctions against Moscow and again ruled out talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"When Ukraine gets enough modern and effective air defense systems, the key element of Russian terror - missile strikes - will stop working," Zelenskyy said, thanking German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for expediting the delivery of the IRIS-T. system and U.S. President Joe Biden for supplying air defense systems. "Our hope, Mr. President, is that these will be medium- to high-performance systems, which will create an echeloned defense system."