It's a clear message to step up our own support, ramping up our European defense capacities, not only at the level of the European Union, but at the continental level,' von der Leyen told a press conference in Aarhus,

Analysts say Ukraine’s European allies can fill some of the gaps and provide artillery systems. But they don’t possess alternatives to the U.S.-made HIMARS missiles and air defense systems, especially Patriots, which are crucial to help defend Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to express the “critical importance” of continuing U.S. weapons deliveries and to emphasize that any delay or postponement would only encourage Russia to continue the war.

Ukrainian media outlets had earlier reported the major general's death in a HIMARS strike, citing pro-Russian military bloggers. Now, Russia's Ministry of Defense and the Governor of Primorye Oleg Kozhemyako have confirmed the loss of Gudkov.

A view shows a scene of an explosion in which, according to Russia's investigative committee, Russian general Igor Kirillov, in charge of nuclear protection forces, and his assistant were killed, in Moscow,

Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gudkov, promoted to deputy head of the Russian Navy just a few months earlier, died in an apparent Ukrainian strike.