The leading U.S. diplomat, Marco Rubio, made a direct appeal to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday, urging an end to the “killing” in Ukraine as Washington’s position toward Moscow becomes increasingly firm.
According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio “reiterated President [Donald] Trump’s demand for the cessation of violence and emphasized the necessity for Moscow to engage in significant actions aimed at achieving a lasting resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude towards Trump after the U.S. president unexpectedly shifted his stance on Russia, suggesting on Tuesday that Ukraine could not only reclaim its land but might even be able to expand its territory.
However, Zelensky expressed skepticism regarding NATO’s capacity to ensure the security of Kyiv.
“This madness persists due to the weakness of international institutions. Simply being part of a long-standing military alliance does not guarantee safety,” Zelensky stated during his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
He mentioned having had a “productive meeting” with Trump, who has previously rejected the idea of NATO membership for Ukraine and had critiqued the Ukrainian leader during their prior encounter in February before becoming more favorable.
“We are certainly striving to ensure that Europe provides real assistance, and we are counting on the support of the United States,” Zelensky added.
Trump’s statement on Tuesday, suggesting that Ukraine could emerge victorious with backing from the European Union and NATO, represented a significant turnaround after months of asserting that Ukraine could not recover territories seized by Russia.
Trump claimed that Ukraine had the potential to regain all its territory and hinted, without details, that Kyiv might “even go beyond that!”
These remarks from the U.S. leader are part of a series of shifts in his policies regarding Ukraine, including an unexpected move towards peace negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this year that left allies astonished.
Zelensky cautioned on Wednesday that Europe could not risk losing strategically important Moldova to Russia’s influence, allowing it to follow the paths of Belarus and Georgia into Moscow’s sphere.
“Russia is attempting to do to Moldova what Iran once did to Lebanon, and once again, the global response is insufficient. We have already lost Georgia in Europe… for many years, Belarus has also been leaning towards dependence on Russia. Europe cannot afford to let Moldova fall as well,” he remarked at the UN General Assembly.
Moldova, which was once a Soviet republic, is set to hold elections on Sunday, where pro-EU President Maia Sandu will face a deluge of deepfake videos and other disinformation linked to Russian interests.
Zelensky also raised concerns regarding the emergence of autonomous drones and unmanned aerial vehicles capable of intercepting other drones and targeting critical infrastructure.
“We are currently witnessing the most destructive arms race in human history, as this time it includes artificial intelligence,” he said, stressing that real security guarantees can only come from “friends and arms.”
“If the global community cannot adequately respond to all threats and if there is no robust platform for international security, will there be any peace left on this planet?”
The wartime leader, who has a busy schedule of meetings with global leaders during his time in New York for the UN’s key diplomatic week, emphasized that Ukraine has been compelled to increase its military production.
“Ukraine may not possess the large, impressive missiles that dictators showcase in parades, but we have developed drones capable of flying distances of 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers.
“We had no alternative but to create these technologies to safeguard our right to existence.”
