Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has played down his US counterpart Joe Biden’s gaffe during the Nato summit as a mere “mistake” after arriving in Ireland.
Mr Biden accidentally introduced the Ukrainian leader as “president Putin” during the final day of the Nato summit before quickly correcting himself. At the time, Mr Zelensky responded: “I am better.”
Speaking to reporters from Shannon Airport, Co Clare, Mr Zelensky described the gaffe as a simple “mistake”.
“ I think the United States gave a lot of support to Ukrainians,” he said. “We can forget some mistakes, I think so.”
He was later pictured embracing Irish taoiseach Simon Harris as the pair held a meeting inside the airport.
It comes as Poland said it was considering Kyiv’s proposal to shoot down Russian missiles flying towards Polish territory while they are still in Ukraine’s airspace.
Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski told the American Enterprise Institute in Washington that they were considering such a move but only with the approval of Nato.
Warsaw, an alliance member, frequently scrambles fighter jets to protect Polish airspace as Russian forces launch large-scale aerial attacks on Ukraine.
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Biden mistakenly calls Zelensky ‘Putin’ while introducing him at NATO summit
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