In brief
Presiding over a series of devastating Russian strikes, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has stepped to Ankara’s NATO summit, demanding swift delivery of air‑defence missiles to shield its cities. He appeals to President Trump and European allies, framing the barrage as a calculated display of weakness. Ukraine’s drone campaign has already shattered Russian oil refineries and power facilities, prompting a call for “patriot” missiles while urging allies to move beyond stored stocks. In the face of a growing ballistic missile threat, Zelensky stresses the necessity of interceptor systems to protect civilians and seeks to pressure Russia into a dignified peace dialogue without surrendering the Donbas.
President Volodymyr Zelensky will appeal to NATO in Ankara, seeking urgent transfer of air‑defence missiles amid a recent onslaught of Russian missile strikes that struck Kyiv’s residential areas and claimed more than 50 civilian lives.
The summit offers Zelensky a rare chance for a one‑to‑one talk with former President Donald Trump, he explained, hoping to underline Russia’s “brutal” attacks as a sign of weakness that should force Vladimir Putin into negotiations for a dignified peace. He also stresses that Russia’s ballistic missile threat is intensifying, with the Ukrainian air force reporting near‑full intercept failures and a dire shortage of Patriot systems.
Simultaneously, Ukraine’s own strategic drones have pounded key Russian infrastructure – from Moscow’s own regret‑filled service buildings to an oil refinery in Omsk and the resources of annexed Crimea – forcing fuel shortages and disrupting civilian operations in the Kremlin’s homeland.
To the NATO members, Zelensky calls for the release of stored Patriot missiles, arguing that those lying idle would otherwise stand useless when Ukrainians continue to experience life‑threatening missile raids. He also insists on the building of equivalent systems domestically with NATO assistance, stressing that a large stockpile of cheap drones, while still insufficient against armed flight‑path missiles, offers some operational leverage.
The Ukrainian strategy reflects a broader aim: to draw Russia’s military attention away from its domestic bases and compel the Kremlin to engage in meaningful ceasefire negotiations that do not insist on relinquishing the entire eastern Donbas region. Zelensky’s appeal to NATO reflects confidence that a decisive air‑defence upgrade can change the balance of power on the battlefield, classifying the current window as a unique opportunity to shift the war’s trajectory in Ukraine’s favour.
