Zelenskyy says Russia shows no sign of ending war, plans billions for drone production
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia currently shows no readiness to stop the war and next year plans to spend $12 billion on jet-powered drones and loitering munitions alone. He called for strengthening pressure measures against Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening address that Russia is not currently preparing to end its war against Ukraine. He stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin keeps finding excuses to avoid meetings, a trilateral negotiating format, or any halt to the killing, a pattern that has continued for years.
Zelenskyy noted that his recent meeting with the US president confirmed this pattern, and that the American side shares this assessment. According to him, Russia needs to develop a genuine desire to spend its resources on something other than death before it will be willing to end the war.
Diplomatic push expected in coming weeks
The Ukrainian leader said significant diplomatic activity is expected in the coming days and throughout October, aimed at changing the current dynamic. At the same time, he stressed that additional pressure tools must be applied more forcefully, including what he referred to as the Lindsey Graham Act along with other mechanisms targeting Russia.
Russia's planned weapons spending
Zelenskyy revealed that Russia intends to spend roughly $12 billion next year solely on producing jet-powered drones and loitering munitions. He emphasized that this figure covers only one category of weaponry and that such spending is not limited to the war against Ukraine, pointing instead to broader Russian military ambitions.
