Zelenskyy: Ukraine ready to help Poland in fight against drones, Patriot not to help in this
Ukraine is ready and open to help Poland in the fight against drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that he had a conversation about this with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
"Poland's Patriot will not help in the fight against Shahed drones. They will not help anyone. It is purely a weapon against ballistic missiles, first of all. Today, the United States produces 50-60 missiles – the world's main manufacturer of these missiles per month. When we shoot 500-800 Shahed drones per day, it is clear that Patriot is not against drones. Patriot, $2-3 million per a missile, a Shahed or Geranium drone - up to $100,000. That is, they do not fight against this," he said at a press conference with his Finnish colleague Alexander Stubb in Kyiv.
"Assembling appropriate systems, such as Patriot, SAMP/T or other systems that are not so expensive... or using the experience that was yesterday – using missiles on airplanes for 1 million 1.2 million is not the way," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, only with a built multi-system can one fight a massive drone attack.
"This is my answer to the question of whether our Polish friends need our consultations. I believe that no one has such a system today. Only we and the Russians have it," he said.
"We are open and ready. Donald [U.S. President Donald Trump] said that he would send his military personnel, whoever is needed. I put them in touch with our Minister of Defense, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Army, he is in touch with the Polish commander today," the President of Ukraine said.
In addition, he added that the example of ordering Ukrainian-made interceptors from Ukraine will also not help in the fight against Russian drones, because every two to three months the technical settings of both drones and electronic warfare systems change on both sides.
Speaking about the possibility of shooting down Russian drones and missiles with Polish means over the territory of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said: "What we proposed two years ago – shoot down drones over us – will no longer work like that."
Meanwhile, he added that "it is needed as an element."
"It will strengthen the shield over the western part of Ukraine and over Poland. But it is an element. It is simply not enough. Today, it is necessary: air defense systems must be located in the western part of our state, and Polish aviation can also be used on the territory of Poland, but general coordination is needed. And it is desirable that Ukraine coordinates. Because there are five to seven elements of multi-defense. We can do it together... We are open to this," the head of state said.