Zelenskyy urges joint defense shield with Poland

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday proposed to Poland and other partners at the Warsaw Security Forum the creation of a joint defense shield against Russian aerial threats, while praising Moldova’s pro-European election results as a blow to Moscow’s influence.

“Ukraine can counter all types of drones and missiles. Together, we will have enough weapons and production capacity for this,” Zelenskyy said, recalling Polish writer Jerzy Giedroyc’s words that “without a free Ukraine, there can be no free Poland.”

He congratulated Moldova where the pro-EU PAS party won Sunday's parliamentary elections, saying “the idea of Europe won -- the idea of normal and stable national development.”

“Russia failed to destabilize Moldova, even after spending huge resources to undermine it and corrupt whoever they could,” he said, urging continued support for Chisinau.

Zelenskyy contrasted Moldova with Georgia and Belarus, where he said Russia had made gains at Europe’s expense.

Highlighting recent suspected airspace violations in Poland, Estonia, and Romania, Zelenskyy argued that Russia was “testing how far it can go” and trying to shift attention away from its war in Ukraine.

He cautioned against voices questioning support for Kyiv, saying: “Almost all security threats in Europe today come from Russia’s destructive actions -- from the war Putin refuses to end.”

Moscow has denied any violations in Estonia, claimed the incident in Poland was unintentional, and dismissed the Romanian accusations as a Ukrainian provocation.

The Ukrainian leader also pressed for faster action on frozen Russian assets, including using them for Ukraine’s defense and rebuilding.

Thanking Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for his backing of Ukraine’s EU path, Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s membership was part of Europe’s wider security.