"Russia is testing its limits": Zelensky calls for a joint European air defense

Following the downing of Russian drones in Poland, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again called for a joint air defense system between Ukraine and its European allies.

Kyiv has long proposed the creation of a joint air defense system, Zelenskyy wrote online on Wednesday. Such a system could ensure "guaranteed downing" of drones and missiles through "the combined strength of our air force and air defense."

He also suggested that the joint Russian military exercises with Belarus, which are scheduled to begin soon, could serve as a "training plan" for future Russian actions. This must be countered, Zelenskyy said. "There are more than enough statements, but so far there is a lack of action," he said, according to Reuters.

"The Russians are testing the limits of what is possible. They are testing reactions. They are observing how the armed forces of NATO countries act, what they can and cannot do."

Russia launched renewed airstrikes on Ukraine overnight, including on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, about 80 kilometers from the Polish border. According to the Polish armed forces, drones also entered Polish airspace, some of which were shot down. Dutch NATO aircraft also participated in the operation.

Zelenskyy spoke of an "extremely dangerous precedent for Europe." He added that the violation of Polish airspace was "no accident." In the past, "individual Russian drones" had crossed the border and flown "short distances" into the airspace of neighboring countries. This time, however, the scale was "much greater," and Russia had also "deliberately" piloted the drones into Polish airspace.

Zelenskyy called on Kyiv's allies to respond decisively to Russia's attempt to "humiliate" Poland, an EU and NATO member. "Russia must feel that the reaction of all allies to this escalatory step, and even more so to this attempt to humiliate one of the most important countries in Europe, will be clear and decisive," Zelenskyy said.