Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at the Sixth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, called on European countries to build a joint "architecture of resilience" — a systemic defense against the military, energy, cyber, and information threats that, in his words, Russia deliberately deploys. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine. The speech came against the backdrop of an ongoing war and growing pressure from the Kremlin on European states through multi-vector crises.
"Every Country Is Weaker by One": The Concept of Collective Resilience
Zelensky emphasized that the threats facing Europe are of a global nature: wars, cyberattacks, energy blackmail, information disinformation, food and climate crises. "Every country is weaker by one," the president noted, pointing to the need for a systemic approach comparable in scale to the architecture of common security. In his words, such a system must not only protect people's lives but also ensure the normal functioning of states in crisis situations. "Resilience is a team game. There can be no resilient country next to a fallen one," he stressed, urging states to use each other's experience, resources, and capabilities.
The Kremlin's Strategy: "Rocking the Continent One Country at a Time"
The Ukrainian leader stated that Russia intends to "break" Europe but cannot do so against all countries simultaneously. "They will rock our continent one country at a time," Zelensky said, pointing to the Kremlin's calculation that Europe will tire of the war before the Russian economy faces the critical consequences of sanctions and mobilization burdens. In his words, to achieve this, Russia uses not only military aggression but also various crises, the indecision of individual states, and the refusal to help allies. As practical examples, he cited the situation in which, due to problems in one country, electricity disappears, while a neighboring state is able to provide the necessary support, as well as the need to provide protection and housing to people who have lost their home and peace because of the war.
The Freyja Project: From Coalition to Work with Manufacturers
In the course of his speech, Zelensky also reported on practical progress in the field of air and anti-ballistic defense. Together with European partners, Ukraine is implementing the Freyja project, aimed at strengthening protection against ballistic threats. According to the president, the project has already moved to the stage of direct work with weapons manufacturers. Within the framework of the anti-ballistic coalition established this year, Ukraine has brought together state leaders and key defense industry manufacturers, and the parties are now working on the practical implementation of joint programs.
Context and Significance of the Statement
Zelensky's speech at the Sixth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen underscores a shift in rhetorical emphasis: from calls for military aid to building long-term institutional resilience in Europe. The concept of an "architecture of resilience" goes beyond purely military solutions and includes energy mutual aid, cyber defense, information security, and social support for displaced persons. For European capitals, this means the need to create mechanisms for rapid coordination in crisis scenarios — from power supply disruptions to mass influxes of refugees. The Freyja project, in turn, marks a transition from declarative promises to concrete production contracts, which may become one of the key elements of European defense policy in the coming years.
