Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sought support from his allies for increased air defense systems on Sunday, cautioning that Russia was “taking advantage” of the shifting focus away from the Ukraine conflict to escalate its attacks on the nation.
Efforts to resolve Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has persisted for over three years, have stagnated in recent months.
During this time, Moscow has intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands without power as winter approaches.
In separate discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky called for additional missiles and assistance in enhancing his nation’s “long-range capabilities.”
“Russia is currently exploiting the situation—capitalizing on the heightened attention to the Middle East and domestic concerns across various nations,” Zelensky stated following his conversation with Macron.
Trump had previously met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August but was unable to secure any peace agreement.
In his dialogue with Trump on Sunday—his second conversation in just two days—Zelensky emphasized that both nations would collaborate to bolster Ukraine’s “defense capabilities.”
“We reached an understanding with President Trump that our teams and military would manage all aspects we discussed,” Zelensky noted, without providing further details.
The White House has yet to respond to the conversation.
Recently, Zelensky has urged Washington to provide Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, a request the White House is reportedly evaluating.
Russia has warned that supplying these missiles to Ukraine could jeopardize its relationship with the United States and lead to further escalation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated this warning on Sunday, suggesting that Moscow might regard any missile launches as potentially nuclear in nature.
“Just imagine, if a long-range missile is launched, it could be nuclear-armed. What should the Russian Federation think in that case?” Peskov told a state television reporter.
On Sunday morning, Russia unleashed a new wave of strikes on Ukraine, resulting in one fatality and injuring over a dozen others across at least four regions, according to local officials.
During his conversation with Macron, Zelensky described Moscow’s attacks as having become “even more vicious.”
Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, framing it as a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing the nation and curbing NATO’s growth.
Kyiv and its European allies contend that the conflict is an unlawful land seizure, which has led to tens of thousands of casualties among civilians and military personnel, as well as extensive devastation.
Since 2022, millions of Ukrainians have been compelled to leave their homes, with Russia currently occupying approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory—much of which has been severely impacted by the ongoing fighting.
