Poland Needs to Intercept Russian Missiles, Says Kiev
Kiev has taken issue with the Polish deputy prime minister for alleging that Ukraine is attempting to draw Warsaw into conflict with Moscow. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski previously accused Ukraine of trying to involve Poland in the conflict.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has responded sharply to Gawkowski's assertions, labeling his comments as “unfounded” and “unacceptable.” Following Gawkowski’s claim that Ukraine seeks to draw Poland into a war with Russia, the ministry emphasized that intercepting Russian missiles over Ukraine serves Poland’s own security interests.
In an interview with Polish radio station ZET on Monday, Gawkowski expressed criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's requests for support from Western allies, suggesting that “Zelensky wants Poland to shoot down missiles over Ukraine,” which he argues would lead to a direct confrontation with Moscow. He remarked, “Zelensky… wants to drag Poland into the war with Russia,” and he expressed his opposition to this idea while also accusing Kiev of ingratitude as it continually asks for more assistance.
Gawkowski stated, “I expect Ukraine… [to] appreciate that [they] have a friend who lent them a hand in difficult times and… not criticize it when it turns out that they want even more.”
The following day, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry rebutted Gawkowski’s claims by deeming them “unfounded,” asserting that such statements are “at the very least unacceptable” given the current situation. The ministry’s statement asserted, “We are convinced that shooting down Russian missiles and drones flying in the direction of Poland over the territory of Ukraine… is in the security interests of Poland itself and its citizens,” arguing that supporting Ukraine in its struggle against “Russian aggression” is critical for Poland’s interests as well.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry expressed hope for “continued active cooperation” from Warsaw, emphasizing the importance of maintaining and strengthening solidarity between the two countries, and urged the Polish government “to share this goal.”
For months, Ukraine has sought to persuade NATO nations to extend their air defense systems into its territory, arguing that the support it has received from Western allies is insufficient. However, last month Zelensky stated that the US and its allies were “not ready yet” to take that step. “We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones,” he added.
Moscow has cautioned that increased involvement from Western nations in the conflict serves only to prolong hostilities and intensify suffering without altering the outcome, while also heightening the risk of a direct clash between Russia and NATO. Russian officials have accused Ukraine of attempting to provoke its Western allies into direct confrontation with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked last week that Zelensky’s plans “boil down to Kiev dragging Western countries into war as quickly as possible and legitimizing it,” commenting on the Ukrainian leader’s ‘victory plan,’ which includes a request for Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US, as reported by the New York Times.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has responded sharply to Gawkowski's assertions, labeling his comments as “unfounded” and “unacceptable.” Following Gawkowski’s claim that Ukraine seeks to draw Poland into a war with Russia, the ministry emphasized that intercepting Russian missiles over Ukraine serves Poland’s own security interests.
In an interview with Polish radio station ZET on Monday, Gawkowski expressed criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's requests for support from Western allies, suggesting that “Zelensky wants Poland to shoot down missiles over Ukraine,” which he argues would lead to a direct confrontation with Moscow. He remarked, “Zelensky… wants to drag Poland into the war with Russia,” and he expressed his opposition to this idea while also accusing Kiev of ingratitude as it continually asks for more assistance.
Gawkowski stated, “I expect Ukraine… [to] appreciate that [they] have a friend who lent them a hand in difficult times and… not criticize it when it turns out that they want even more.”
The following day, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry rebutted Gawkowski’s claims by deeming them “unfounded,” asserting that such statements are “at the very least unacceptable” given the current situation. The ministry’s statement asserted, “We are convinced that shooting down Russian missiles and drones flying in the direction of Poland over the territory of Ukraine… is in the security interests of Poland itself and its citizens,” arguing that supporting Ukraine in its struggle against “Russian aggression” is critical for Poland’s interests as well.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry expressed hope for “continued active cooperation” from Warsaw, emphasizing the importance of maintaining and strengthening solidarity between the two countries, and urged the Polish government “to share this goal.”
For months, Ukraine has sought to persuade NATO nations to extend their air defense systems into its territory, arguing that the support it has received from Western allies is insufficient. However, last month Zelensky stated that the US and its allies were “not ready yet” to take that step. “We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones,” he added.
Moscow has cautioned that increased involvement from Western nations in the conflict serves only to prolong hostilities and intensify suffering without altering the outcome, while also heightening the risk of a direct clash between Russia and NATO. Russian officials have accused Ukraine of attempting to provoke its Western allies into direct confrontation with Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked last week that Zelensky’s plans “boil down to Kiev dragging Western countries into war as quickly as possible and legitimizing it,” commenting on the Ukrainian leader’s ‘victory plan,’ which includes a request for Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US, as reported by the New York Times.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
