Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Monday (May 20th) that it took too long for Western allies to make key decisions regarding providing military assistance to Ukraine.
Zelenskiy, in an interview with Reuters in Kyiv, said he is pushing for partners to be more directly involved in the war, assisting in intercepting Russian missiles over Ukrainian airspace, and allowing Kyiv to use Western weapons to destroy Russian military equipment amassed near the border.
His remarks indicate that Ukrainian forces are facing immense pressure along the frontlines stretching over thousands of kilometers in the northeast, east, and south.
Zelenskiy stated that the current situation on the battlefield is one of the “most challenging” he has witnessed since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have invaded northeastern Ukraine, further squeezing Ukrainian defenses. At the same time, Russian troops have seized territory in the eastern Donbas region.
He said, “There was a very intense wave of fighting in Donbas… Nobody noticed that, but there are actually more battles happening in eastern Ukraine, especially in places like Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Chasiv Yar, and others.”
However, Zelenskiy noted that the situation north of Kharkiv is now “under control.”
Zelenskiy once again urged the United States and other coalition partners to accelerate the pace of military assistance. He stated that the timing of key decisions by Western countries has been “about a year late.”
“The fact is: we took a big step forward but then took two steps back. So, we need to change the model slightly,” he said.
Zelenskiy expressed his hope that Western countries would be more directly engaged in the war but also acknowledged their fear of confrontation with Russia.
He said, “Everyone is afraid of the war escalating. Everyone is used to the fact of Ukrainian deaths – this is not an escalation for people.”
He proposed that NATO forces could intercept incoming Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory to help Kyiv protect its people.
“Russia has used 300 aircraft within Ukraine. We need at least 120 to 130 aircraft in the air to counter them,” he said, mentioning that Ukraine is awaiting the deployment of U.S. F-16 fighter jets, which have not yet been put into action in Ukraine.
If countries cannot provide aircraft immediately, Zelenskiy hoped they could launch from neighboring NATO countries to shoot down Russian missiles.
Zelenskiy also mentioned that Kyiv is in negotiations with international partners to use Western weapons to target Russian military facilities at the border and within Russia.
“So far, there has been no positive progress,” he said.
Ukraine is preparing for an international conference in Switzerland next month, hoping to unite and strengthen condemnation against Moscow.
Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of having more countries at the negotiating table. Despite setbacks in recent months, he remains confident that Ukraine may still win the war.
“I believe we need to stay on this path,” he said. “Even though today people are skeptical about the word ‘victory,’ I understand it’s difficult because it’s a long road ahead.”