٠٠:٠٥:٠٦Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the reported Russian airstrikes on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities and vowed a 'strong' response, at a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Monday, as the leaders signed a security deal one day before the NATO summit kicks off in DC .
"We will respond to Russia strongly from our side, without failure ... And in addition to the air defence systems, it seems to me that the issue that we have raised more than once is the possibility of using the appropriate weapons of our partners on the very military bases and platforms that the Russian Federation uses today to strike Ukraine," he said in a press conference.
The comments come as 33 people were reported killed and over 140 injured in missile strikes across the country, including on Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kiev. Ukrainian authorities blamed Moscow for the strikes. The
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine's own air defences were responsible for damages to civilian infrastructure, while stating that the military conducted a "group strike by long-range precision weaponry" against military-industrial infrastructure and air bases in Ukraine. Moscow has strongly denied targeting civilian infrastructure saying only military-linked sites were hit.
"Statements of the Kiev regime about the allegedly deliberate missile strike launched against civilian facilities by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are false," it continued. "Numerous published photos and footage from Kiev clearly confirm that the destruction [at the hospital] was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile launched by an anti-aircraft missile system in the city," the statement read.
Zelensky said that he expected 'very specific answers' from NATO allies, claiming discussions on the number of air defence systems of various types that can be used to strengthen Ukraine were ongoing.
He added that under the new treaty, Ukrainian citizens who are currently in Poland, Lithuania, and other EU countries will be able to 'voluntarily join the defence of Ukraine' in a 'Ukrainian legion' which is set to be trained in Poland.
"The Ukrainian legion will train in Poland and will be equipped by partners, and every citizen of Ukraine who decides to be in the legion will be able to sign a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now our teams will also work out all the nuances of this proposal," he explained.
Meanwhile, Tusk said that military equipment in aid such as MIG fighters, would be given to Ukraine after considering Poland's international obligations emphasising that Warsaw’s assistance to Kiev cannot be detrimental to its security.
"Ukraine is in a much worse, much more dangerous situation than Poland, but unfortunately I must say that after Ukraine, we are in the most demanding situation," Tusk stated while also citing NATO obligations.
The comments come one day before the 75th NATO Summit takes place in Washington DC, starting on Tuesday, July 9 and continuing until July 11. According to media reports, Kiev is expected to be told it is 'too corrupt' to join the alliance at the current time, while there is also set to be opposition to outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's plan for a 'multi-year' military funding package for Ukraine - widely seen as a way to negate the impact of a potential Trump presidency.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'We'll respond strongly' - Zelensky condemns alleged Russian strikes as Poland and Ukraine sign security deal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the reported Russian airstrikes on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities and vowed a 'strong' response, at a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Monday, as the leaders signed a security deal one day before the NATO summit kicks off in DC .
"We will respond to Russia strongly from our side, without failure ... And in addition to the air defence systems, it seems to me that the issue that we have raised more than once is the possibility of using the appropriate weapons of our partners on the very military bases and platforms that the Russian Federation uses today to strike Ukraine," he said in a press conference.
The comments come as 33 people were reported killed and over 140 injured in missile strikes across the country, including on Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kiev. Ukrainian authorities blamed Moscow for the strikes. The
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine's own air defences were responsible for damages to civilian infrastructure, while stating that the military conducted a "group strike by long-range precision weaponry" against military-industrial infrastructure and air bases in Ukraine. Moscow has strongly denied targeting civilian infrastructure saying only military-linked sites were hit.
"Statements of the Kiev regime about the allegedly deliberate missile strike launched against civilian facilities by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are false," it continued. "Numerous published photos and footage from Kiev clearly confirm that the destruction [at the hospital] was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile launched by an anti-aircraft missile system in the city," the statement read.
Zelensky said that he expected 'very specific answers' from NATO allies, claiming discussions on the number of air defence systems of various types that can be used to strengthen Ukraine were ongoing.
He added that under the new treaty, Ukrainian citizens who are currently in Poland, Lithuania, and other EU countries will be able to 'voluntarily join the defence of Ukraine' in a 'Ukrainian legion' which is set to be trained in Poland.
"The Ukrainian legion will train in Poland and will be equipped by partners, and every citizen of Ukraine who decides to be in the legion will be able to sign a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now our teams will also work out all the nuances of this proposal," he explained.
Meanwhile, Tusk said that military equipment in aid such as MIG fighters, would be given to Ukraine after considering Poland's international obligations emphasising that Warsaw’s assistance to Kiev cannot be detrimental to its security.
"Ukraine is in a much worse, much more dangerous situation than Poland, but unfortunately I must say that after Ukraine, we are in the most demanding situation," Tusk stated while also citing NATO obligations.
The comments come one day before the 75th NATO Summit takes place in Washington DC, starting on Tuesday, July 9 and continuing until July 11. According to media reports, Kiev is expected to be told it is 'too corrupt' to join the alliance at the current time, while there is also set to be opposition to outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's plan for a 'multi-year' military funding package for Ukraine - widely seen as a way to negate the impact of a potential Trump presidency.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the reported Russian airstrikes on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities and vowed a 'strong' response, at a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Monday, as the leaders signed a security deal one day before the NATO summit kicks off in DC .
"We will respond to Russia strongly from our side, without failure ... And in addition to the air defence systems, it seems to me that the issue that we have raised more than once is the possibility of using the appropriate weapons of our partners on the very military bases and platforms that the Russian Federation uses today to strike Ukraine," he said in a press conference.
The comments come as 33 people were reported killed and over 140 injured in missile strikes across the country, including on Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kiev. Ukrainian authorities blamed Moscow for the strikes. The
The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukraine's own air defences were responsible for damages to civilian infrastructure, while stating that the military conducted a "group strike by long-range precision weaponry" against military-industrial infrastructure and air bases in Ukraine. Moscow has strongly denied targeting civilian infrastructure saying only military-linked sites were hit.
"Statements of the Kiev regime about the allegedly deliberate missile strike launched against civilian facilities by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are false," it continued. "Numerous published photos and footage from Kiev clearly confirm that the destruction [at the hospital] was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile launched by an anti-aircraft missile system in the city," the statement read.
Zelensky said that he expected 'very specific answers' from NATO allies, claiming discussions on the number of air defence systems of various types that can be used to strengthen Ukraine were ongoing.
He added that under the new treaty, Ukrainian citizens who are currently in Poland, Lithuania, and other EU countries will be able to 'voluntarily join the defence of Ukraine' in a 'Ukrainian legion' which is set to be trained in Poland.
"The Ukrainian legion will train in Poland and will be equipped by partners, and every citizen of Ukraine who decides to be in the legion will be able to sign a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now our teams will also work out all the nuances of this proposal," he explained.
Meanwhile, Tusk said that military equipment in aid such as MIG fighters, would be given to Ukraine after considering Poland's international obligations emphasising that Warsaw’s assistance to Kiev cannot be detrimental to its security.
"Ukraine is in a much worse, much more dangerous situation than Poland, but unfortunately I must say that after Ukraine, we are in the most demanding situation," Tusk stated while also citing NATO obligations.
The comments come one day before the 75th NATO Summit takes place in Washington DC, starting on Tuesday, July 9 and continuing until July 11. According to media reports, Kiev is expected to be told it is 'too corrupt' to join the alliance at the current time, while there is also set to be opposition to outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's plan for a 'multi-year' military funding package for Ukraine - widely seen as a way to negate the impact of a potential Trump presidency.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the DPR and LPR, claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.