Zelensky: Ukraine Ready to Help Baltic, Nordic Nations Defend Against Drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with leaders from Nordic and Baltic countries in Estonia, seeking enhanced cooperation on defense, particularly in countering drone threats. The summit addressed recent incidents where Ukrainian drones strayed into Baltic airspace, with officials attributing these deviations to Russian electronic interference.

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We have shown that we can shoot down drones with airplanes, but it is expensive.

During the meeting in Tallinn, hosted by Estonia which chairs the NB8 regional group, Zelensky and Estonian President Alar Karis agreed to collaborate on developing more affordable drone interception methods. Karis noted that while intercepting drones with fighter jets is effective, it is costly. Estonia seeks to leverage Ukraine's technology and experience for more economical solutions.

Zelensky affirmed Ukraine's readiness to assist, highlighting successful past training programs for drone warfare in the Middle East. He proposed sharing Ukraine's cost-effective interceptor drones and deploying Ukrainian specialists to bolster European defenses against Russian drone attacks. Zelensky also mentioned a new agreement between Ukraine and Latvia on drone development cooperation.

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We have already done this and it has yielded results.

Beyond drone defense, discussions included strengthening diplomacy, improving air defense capabilities, and advancing Ukraine's European Union accession process. Zelensky urged the EU to open membership negotiations with Ukraine over the summer, stating that Kyiv has fulfilled the necessary conditions. He also called for stricter sanctions against Russia, specifically targeting tankers involved in illicit oil exports.

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This has already been done and has yielded results.