Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, is likely to escalate the current conflict in Ukraine by launching attacks on another European country.
During his address in Kyiv, following a meeting with US President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy asserted that Russia’s recent incursions into the airspaces of European nations serve as a test of NATO’s defenses.
The Ukrainian leader expressed concern that Russia is gearing up for a larger conflict. “Putin will not wait to conclude his war in Ukraine. He will pursue another front. The exact location is uncertain. He desires that,” the Ukrainian leader stated.
Zelenskyy emphasized that the Kremlin is intentionally assessing Europe’s ability to safeguard its airspace, following reports of drone sightings in Denmark, Poland, and Romania, as well as the breach of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets. Over the course of Friday night and Saturday, additional drones were observed over the Danish military and a Norwegian base, respectively.
Zelenskyy’s alert to the EU
The Ukrainian president remarked that EU governments are finding it challenging to address this emerging and perilous threat. Earlier this month, Ukraine reported having detected 92 drones approaching Poland in a “coordinated” manner. Although the war-affected nation managed to intercept the majority, 19 entered Polish airspace, and Polish forces ultimately succeeded in downing four of them.
“I am not equating our military capabilities. We are engaged in warfare, while they [Poland] are not,” he stated. Zelenskyy also noted that representatives from several unnamed nations would be visiting Ukraine to receive “practical training” on how to counter Russian aerial assaults. “We are prepared to share our expertise,” he added.
The most recent warning from the Ukrainian leader followed his meeting with US President Donald Trump during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting. After their discussion, the US president indicated that he believes Ukraine can reclaim all the territory it has lost since 2022, with the backing of Europe and NATO.
Trump also remarked that Russia’s economy was facing significant difficulties and characterized its military as a “paper tiger”. When inquired about Trump’s shift in position, the Ukrainian leader mentioned that he had informed Trump about the “realities on the battlefield”.
Zelenskyy allegedly conveyed to Trump that Russia’s progress was frequently short-lived: “It’s not success. It’s a temporary presence.” The US president now possesses increased “faith” in Ukraine and has realized that Russia treated him and others with “disrespect”, according to Zelenskyy. Ultimately, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that if the Kremlin attempted to undermine the war-torn nation’s energy infrastructure again this winter, its own capital would face retaliatory blackouts.
