Ukraine affords Poland assist with drones as presidents stress unity

[ad_1] Merchandise 1 of 6 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw, Poland, December 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

[1/6] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw, Poland, December 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel <a data-testid="Link" target="_blank" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelenskiy-visits-poland/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjU6bmV3c21sX1JDMlFKSUE2VzZDNg%3D%3D/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead" rel="noopener" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76 collapsible-caption-module__license__CPQvV">Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab Zelenskiy meets Polish president in Warsaw Leaders stress unity on safety issues Zelenskiy says Ukraine can assist Poland develop drone defences Many right-wing Poles sceptical about Ukraine support WARSAW, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine can assist Poland develop anti-drone expertise, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned throughout a go to to Warsaw on Friday, as he and his Polish counterpart Karol Nawrocki burdened the international locations' unity on safety issues.

Warsaw has been one in all Ukraine's staunchest backers since Russia's invasion in 2022, however with hostility to refugees rising in Poland and far-right events there saying the nation has gone too far in supporting Kyiv, relations between the neighbours have change into extra tense. Enroll <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelenskiy-meet-polands-trump-backed-president-key-moment-war-2025-12-19/undefined?location=article-paragraph&redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fukraines-zelenskiy-meet-polands-trump-backed-president-key-moment-war-2025-12-19%2F" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">here.

"Ukraine affords Poland consultations relating to defence from drones," Zelenskiy instructed a information convention. "We all know find out how to defend ourselves from each current kind of Russian drone which can be utilized in opposition to our neighbours, in opposition to Poland or different nations."

He mentioned Kyiv might additionally provide co-operation in maritime safety, including that he had invited Nawrocki to Ukraine to see the nation's defence manufacturing capabilities.

Growing defences in opposition to drones has change into a prime precedence for international locations on NATO's jap flank because the incursion of some <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/poland-downs-drones-its-airspace-becoming-first-nato-member-fire-during-war-2025-09-10/" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">20 Russian drones into Poland in September and a spate of different drone incidents in international locations together with Romania, Denmark and Germany. In September, Ukraine's defence minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukrainian troops and engineers would prepare their Polish counterparts in a joint group on countering drones. 'BAD NEWS FOR MOSCOW' Nawrocki mentioned that Zelenskiy's go to was "unhealthy information for Moscow" because it demonstrated the unity between Ukraine and Poland on safety issues, including that he believed Warsaw would be capable of finalise an alternate of MiG-29 fighter jets for anti-drone expertise from Ukraine.

Political analysts had mentioned that the go to was a chance for Zelenskiy to clean over a number of the tensions which have emerged between Poland and Ukraine, and to ascertain a more in-depth relationship with a European chief who's an ally of Donald Trump.

"Ukraine's independence and Poland's independence are foundations which permit each nation in our a part of Europe to dwell freely... with out Moscow's rule," Zelenskiy mentioned.

"That's the reason it is crucial that we co-operate, that we assist each other, and that we co-ordinate with you in regards to the defence of Europe, of our individuals."

POLITICAL DIVISION Nawrocki was backed by Poland's largest nationalist opposition get together PiS on this yr's presidential election however his eventual victory in June's run-off vote owed a lot to supporters of far-right events who say Poland has given Ukraine an excessive amount of support.

Across the similar time as the 2 presidents spoke to the media on Friday, the chief of Poland's far-right Confederation get together Slawomir Mentzen was addressing a protest exterior parliament in opposition to what he known as "the federal government's subservient coverage in the direction of Ukraine", including on X that Poles didn't wish to be handled like "suckers".

Nawrocki, who had refused to go to Kyiv till Zelenskiy got here to Warsaw and thanked Poles for his or her assist, addressed these views through the press convention.

"Poles have the impression... that our efforts and multifaceted help to Ukraine after the beginning of the full-scale invasion weren't correctly appreciated," he mentioned.

Variations over Poland's strategy to relations with Ukraine are additionally an element within the bitter feud on the coronary heart of Polish politics between Nawrocki, an fanatic of U.S. President Donald Trump's MAGA motion, and centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former European Council president.

Tusk has beforehand berated right-wing events over their angle to Ukraine, telling them to "stand by Ukraine's aspect in its struggle with Russia with no 'buts'".

Zelenskiy was scheduled to satisfy the prime minister later within the afternoon.

Reporting by Barbara Erling, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Anna Koper in Warsaw; Olena Harmash, Max Hunder in Kyiv; Writing by Alan Charlish; Modifying by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Susan Fenton