Ignatyk-Eriksen on Zelenskyy’s Copenhagen visit

Lesia Ignatyk-Eriksen, head of the Danish nonprofit “Hjælp Ukrainske Børn (Help Ukrainian Children),” shared details about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Copenhagen on Oct. 2.

“Today, Copenhagen became the center of European politics and security,” Ignatyk-Eriksen said.

At the Bella Center conference hall, leaders gathered for a major meeting of the European Political Community and an informal EU summit that was held under Denmark’s chairmanship of the Council of Europe.

The event saw heads of state and government from 27 EU countries gather and over 20 other European nations, as well as leaders of European institutions and NATO representatives. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen chaired the meeting. Zelenskyy also participated in the summit.

“The Ukrainian president thanked Mette Frederiksen and the Danish people for their support and invitation, noting that, symbolically, many buildings in Denmark are lit up in the colors of the Ukrainian flag today. This is a powerful signal, showing that Denmark has supported Ukraine from the very beginning,” Ignatyk-Eriksen said.

Zelenskyy called on Europe to remain united in the face of the Russian military threat, and emphasized the importance of joint defense, particularly against drones, and the need for a new sanctions package against the Kremlin.

He also stressed the necessity of formalized security guarantees for Ukraine, and potentially for other countries, while supporting the European integration of Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans states.

Ignatyk-Eriksen summarized Zelenskyy’s key message: Russia’s war against Ukraine is a threat to all of Europe, and the response must be clear — unity, collective defense, and concrete security guarantees.