16:04 15.07.2024

Zelenskyy: Neighbors could use their air defense to help Ukraine protect UGS in western Ukraine, this is in their interests

2 min read
Zelenskyy: Neighbors could use their air defense to help Ukraine protect UGS in western Ukraine, this is in their interests

Russia often shells underground gas storage facilities (UGS) in western Ukraine, this poses a threat to neighboring countries to be left without gas during the heating season, it is in the interests of these countries to help Ukraine with their own air defense forces in protecting these gas storage facilities, shooting down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes.

“There are countries that are skeptics in NATO, in principle, towards us, and so it is very important that these countries use this gas, which is in our gas storage facility. And, it seems to me that this skepticism of countries should decrease, because if we don’t protect our gas storage facilities, then these countries, our closest neighbors, will be left without gas during the heating season,” Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.

He noted that such Russian missiles could be shot down by Poland, because they are flying in its direction.

“It would be fair for the security of both the western part of our state, where the gas storage facilities are, and for Poland, since this is the same direction of the Russian missile, I believed that it was absolutely fair if Poland helped us - to shoot down missiles, which go precisely in the direction of Poland. We are talking about exactly this direction – the direction of gas storage facilities of Ukraine, where they often fly,” the Ukrainian president noted.

He recalled that from the very beginning of the war, such assistance was a “red line” for some partners in the alliance, where decisions are made by consensus, although not everyone in NATO considers this a “red line.”

Zelenskyy pointed out that in such conditions, Ukraine began to work at the bilateral level, because this is the safety of people in Poland.

He recalled that in the bilateral security agreement with Poland this topic is “raised legally” and a technical consideration of this issue is underway.

“I cannot guarantee you today that it is 100%, but I believe that we have taken the first step. Then there are nuances,” added the president of Ukraine.

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