On 26 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a video conference with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda.
This was reported on the website of the head of state.
During the conversation, the head of state thanked Duda for receiving Ukrainian refugees. In turn, the Polish leader said that there are currently 2.3 million Ukrainians in his country, and the Polish side provides people with everything they need.
The presidents also discussed the work of the Ukrainian energy system in the single energy network of Europe. After the talks, the ministers of energy of Ukraine and Poland are to continue consultations on this topic.
An important issue that was raised during the conversation was the need to close the sky over Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the shelling of Ukrainian cities from the air should be prevented. He expressed disappointment that Soviet-made aircraft available in Eastern European countries, including Poland, have not yet been delivered to Ukraine.
And this is despite the fact that both the countries that own the aircraft and the United States have stated their readiness to make such a decision.
"The price of delaying with planes is thousands of lives of Ukrainians, which we are losing because of missile attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities," the President said.
Zelenskyy stressed that aircraft, tanks and long-range air defense systems would allow Ukraine to effectively defend freedom throughout the territory and 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 military threat – on their borders, near their cities. And they will go further," Zelenskyy said during a video conference.
At the moment when the conversation between the presidents of Ukraine and Poland ended, Russia launched a missile attack on Lviv.
Earlier, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the US Department of Defense continued to consult with a number of partners to strengthen Ukraine's air defense system by long-range means.