EUROPEAN Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on G7 ministers today to provide more air defence systems to Ukraine as a matter of urgency, warning that continued delays could pave the way for a Russian victory in the two-year-old war.

He spoke on the sidelines of a meeting of the British, Canadian, French, German, Italian, Japanese and US foreign ministers on the Italian island of Capri.

Without more Patriot air defence missile systems to protect against Russian strikes, “the electricity system of Ukraine will be destroyed. And no country can fight without having electricity at home, in the factories, in the front line,” Mr Borrell warned.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed the call, expressing hope that new US funding for Ukraine would soon come through after being stalled in Congress but adding that other allies of Kiev must also do more.

“In this moment, it is urgent that all of the friends and supporters of Ukraine maximise their efforts to provide Ukraine with what it needs to continue to effectively defend itself against this Russian aggression,” Mr Blinken said after a  meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani opened the first working session of the Capri meeting by calling for new sanctions against Iran in response to last weekend’s attack and concrete help for Ukraine to defend itself from Moscow’s air strikes.

The day before, EU leaders meeting in Brussels vowed to ramp up sanctions against Iran to target drone and missile deliveries to Tehran’s allies in Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon.

Also on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden voiced support for a proposal from House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson to provide about $61 billion (£48.9bn) in aid to Ukraine, signalling bipartisan support for the funding Bill.