PRESS RELEASE : Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video conference with Andrzej Duda
The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 26 March 2022.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda held a video conference. The President of Ukraine thanked his Polish counterpart for sheltering Ukrainian refugees.
Andrzej Duda said that as of now, Poland has sheltered 2.3 million Ukrainians. According to him, the country provides them with everything they need.
The presidents and representatives of their offices discussed the functioning of Ukraine’s energy system in Europe’s single energy network. The energy ministers of the two countries were instructed to continue consultations after the talks.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated the need to prevent shelling of Ukrainian cities from the air. The President of Ukraine expressed disappointment that Soviet-made aircraft available in Eastern European countries, in particular Poland, have not yet been handed over to our state. Although both these countries and the United States have publicly stated their readiness to make such a decision.
“The price of delay with planes is thousands of lives of Ukrainians, which we are losing from missile and air strikes on peaceful Ukrainian cities,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to him, aircraft, tanks and long-range air defense systems would allow Ukraine to really defend freedom throughout our territory and drastically change the course of hostilities.
“If the partners do not help Ukraine with planes and tanks, and they have such opportunities, there is a high risk that Russian troops will pose not only a missile threat to the territory of our neighbors – friendly Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and the Baltic States, but also direct general military threat. On their borders, near their cities. And they will go further,” the Ukrainian Head of State said.
As the conversation between the Presidents was coming to an end, Lviv was hit by Russian missiles. Lviv is located 50 kilometers from the Polish border.
After the conversation, Volodymyr Zelenskyy contacted the defenders of Mariupol who also said that the city was under devastating airstrikes. Nevertheless, the military assured that they are determined to defend Mariupol.
