Zelenskyy warns European states of Russian hybrid operations at Warsaw forum
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday that Russia is preparing "numerous hybrid operations" against European countries and urged European states to maintain internal unity in response. Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski, German industry group BDI, and German Chancellor Merz echoed concerns about growing Russian hybrid activity, with Merz saying Germany is preparing for large-scale attacks.
Key points
- Zelenskyy said Russia is preparing "numerous hybrid operations" against European countries in an address to the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday.
- Ukrainian intelligence services have information about the planned operations, according to Zelenskyy, who did not specify which countries are targeted.
- Zelenskyy said there is "no such thing as a 'minor act of destabilization'" and urged European states to maintain internal unity.
- Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said NATO must be prepared for the appearance of casualties amid growing Russian hybrid activity.
- Germany's Federation of Industries (BDI) warned of a growing threat of Russian sabotage against German companies.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany is preparing for large-scale hybrid attacks and will respond "quickly and very clearly."
Why it matters
A sitting Ukrainian president publicly warned European allies of imminent Russian hybrid operations and framed the threat as broad and unspecified, indicating that Kyiv views the danger as continent-wide. Zelenskyy explicitly urged European states to maintain internal unity, suggesting he sees disunity as a vulnerability Russia is exploiting. The warning carried weight because it was paired with corroborating concerns from Poland's foreign minister, a German industry body, and the German chancellor, showing allied acknowledgment of the risk.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both supplied outlets are Ukrainian media reporting on Zelenskyy's own address, so the framing centers on his warning and his call for European unity as the headline message. The Ukrainian coverage foregrounds the president's role in alerting allies to a threat that he said is being tracked by Ukrainian services.