Zelensky Says Kyiv Prepares Talks on Joint EU Air Shield, Warns of ‘Russian World’ Risk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv is preparing negotiations with European partners on the creation of a joint air defense system.

“This week we will have a conversation with the Europeans – negotiations on the creation of a joint air defense system,” Zelensky said, according to the Office of the President.

Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.

He stressed that Ukraine’s integration into Europe’s security architecture is a strategic choice.

“I am sure: either Ukraine will become an integral part of the European security system, or some in Europe risk becoming part of the ‘Russian world,’” the president said.

Zelensky added that Ukraine already has significant experience in countering aerial threats, including kamikaze drones, and is ready to share its expertise.

“The radar field, the necessary electronic warfare systems, communication between air defense components, and interception itself – Ukraine can do all this,” he said.

He added that Ukrainian defense solutions are already being used beyond Europe, particularly in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf.

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian interceptors are operating in cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

While these partners already have missile defense systems, Ukrainian expertise is helping them detect and counter Shahed-type drones at scale.

Zelensky said Ukraine has developed a full spectrum of capabilities needed for modern air defense – from radar coverage and electronic warfare to coordination between systems and interception itself.

He said other countries – including Turkey, Kuwait, and Oman – have also shown interest in Ukraine’s experience, adding that such cooperation carries an economic dimension.

“Ukraine is a global producer of force and security – it is and will be so. And all these are not gifts from Ukraine. Long-term security agreements in the Middle East are funds for our state every year; they are fuel for Ukraine, necessary in conditions of global instability,” Zelensky said.

“These are also those types of weapons that we have in short supply, but our partners have,” he added.

He stressed that Ukraine’s defense industry has rapidly evolved into a major force, producing not only first-person-view (FPV) drones but also long-range missiles, interceptors, artillery shells, and robotic systems already in use on the battlefield.

“The capabilities of Ukraine’s defense industry amount to millions of FPV drones per year,” Zelensky said.

According to the president, Ukraine now possesses deep-strike capabilities, large-scale ammunition production, and long-range missile systems that are no longer experimental.

He also revealed that, for the first time in the war, Ukrainian forces captured a Russian position using only unmanned systems.

“The occupiers surrendered, and this operation was carried out without the involvement of infantry and without losses on our side,” Zelensky said.

He argued that Ukraine is not just adapting to modern warfare but emerging as a global leader in security technologies.

“Ukraine is among the leaders in the development of security technologies. Our Ukrainian security experience, our military expertise, is now the most desired asset for dozens of countries around the world,” he said.

Julia is a Deputy Head of News and correspondent for Kyiv Post who has previously worked as a parliamentary editor, journalist, and news editor. She has specialized in covering the work of the Ukrainian parliament, government, and law enforcement agencies.