Zelenskyy Proposes Joint Air Defense Shield After Russian Incursions Into NATO Airspace

Latest Developments

• ‘Fully Reliable Shield’: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed building a joint air defense network with Ukraine’s European allies amidst Russian incursions into NATO’s eastern flank. “Ukraine proposes to Poland and all our partners to build a joint, fully reliable shield against Russian aerial threats,” Zelenskyy told the Warsaw Security Forum. “This is possible. Ukraine can counter all kinds of Russian drones and missiles, and if we act together in the region, we will have enough weapons and production capacity.” In the past month, Russian aircraft have violated the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, Romania, and Poland, while Denmark has reported a series of suspicious drone activity near critical infrastructure.
• U.S. Considers Providing Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine: Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, revealed that the Trump administration is considering granting Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles. Kellogg added that Trump had authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons for long-range strikes inside Russia.
• 12-Hour Russian Bombardment of Ukraine: Zelenskyy denounced a “savage” Russian attack on Ukraine that lasted more than 12 hours overnight between September 27-28, killing at least four people in Kyiv — including a 12-year-old girl — and injuring more than 70 throughout the country. Ukrainian Defense Minister Igor Klymenko claimed the attacks damaged at least 100 civilian sites, including Kyiv’s Institute of Cardiology, in which a nurse and patient were killed.

FDD Expert Response

“Even if Putin stops his current invasion soon, NATO and Ukraine will need an air and missile defense system with significant additional capability and capacity because the Russian bear is likely to come back for more sooner or later. That air defense system will be more effective in defending both the NATO alliance and Ukraine if it is integrated, but that takes time, which is why it is wise to start now. A pooling of NATO member economic clout and defense-industrial capacity with Ukraine’s hard-won know-how, agility, and ingenuity would be a formidable combination that could save lives and make Putin think twice about additional aggression in the future.” — Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center of Military and Political Power

“President Zelenskyy’s proposal for a joint air defense shield with European allies is precisely what is needed — a European coalition to extend an air defense umbrella into western Ukraine. With Russian drone attacks intensifying against Ukrainian cities and incursions threatening NATO airspace, this initiative is urgent and essential to counter Russian aggression in the air.” — Peter Doran, Adjunct Senior Fellow

“President Zelenskyy’s proposal hits home on several counts. First, it acknowledges that Eastern European air defense capability is enhanced by integration with Ukrainian air defenders. Second, Ukraine has some of the most innovative and cost-effective drone defense systems available in Europe. Most importantly, it begins the long road to integrating Ukraine into European defense networks.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

FDD Background and Analysis

“‘He’s Not Messing Around’: Trump Signals NATO Could Shoot Down Russian Aircraft as Aerial Incursions Continue,” FDD Flash Brief

“How The Kremlin Negotiates,” by Iullia Osmolovska, Donald Jensen, and Dr. Graeme P. Herd

“‘Unprecedented and Brazen’: Russian Fighter Jets Cross Into NATO Member Estonia’s Airspace,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iranian Assistance Enables Russian Drone Incursions Into Poland and Romania,” by Ryan Brobst, Cameron McMillan, and Bradley Bowman