President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that current Western sanctions and military aid have not reached the level required to break Russian resistance. He emphasized that the diversion of global attention toward the Middle East directly impacts Ukraine’s security.
The Ukrainian President reported to Le Monde that Ukraine faces a critical shortage of resources due to shifting geopolitical priorities. He specifically noted that American and European pressure on Moscow remains inadequate. According to Zelenskyy, the temporary easing of US sanctions on Russian oil allowed the Kremlin to earn billions in just three weeks, funding further aggression against Ukraine.
Defensive Strategy and Security Guarantees
Zelenskyy rejected demands to withdraw from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He described these areas as fortified defense lines built over the years. Leaving these positions would likely lead to a rapid occupation of the rest of the country and eventually threaten Kyiv. The President argued that existing fortifications serve as more reliable security guarantees than unverified diplomatic promises.
The President also addressed the deadlock regarding the €90 billion European loan currently vetoed by Hungary. He stressed that without these funds, the Ukrainian military will lack the resources to produce long-range drones and air defense systems. This deficit poses a direct threat to European security.
Regarding the strategic outlook, Zelenskyy highlighted the disparity in international support:
“Everyone is constantly saying that Ukraine will not win this war, because the Russian Federation is a nuclear power. So tell me, what security guarantees do you think Ukraine should have? NATO? Nuclear weapons? Well, then we need them to say to us: ‘We will give you NATO and nuclear weapons.’ But so far no one has raised the issue.”
Zelenskyy concluded that the preservation of independence and the state remains the only basis for a just peace. He noted that some Middle Eastern nations hesitate to provide anti-ballistic systems despite Ukraine’s expertise in integrated air defense.
Previously, The Ukrainian Review reported that Ukraine possesses the technological capacity to manufacture two thousand interceptor drones every day with stable funding.
