Zelensky Sounds Alarm as Russia Escalates Attacks Amid Global Distractions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his allies on Sunday to enhance air defense support, cautioning that Russia is «capitalizing» on the reduced focus on the Ukrainian conflict to intensify its attacks on the nation.

Diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has persisted for over three years, have stagnated in recent months.

Meanwhile, Russia has escalated its airstrike campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, resulting in power outages for hundreds of thousands of citizens as winter approaches.

During separate conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, Zelensky sought additional missiles and assistance in bolstering Ukraine’s «long-range capabilities.»

«Russia is currently exploiting the situation — the fact that the Middle East and domestic matters are capturing maximum attention,» Zelensky stated after his call with Macron.

Although Trump had discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August, he was unable to secure any peace agreement.

In his second call with Trump in two days, Zelensky mentioned that both nations would work to enhance Ukraine’s «defense capabilities.»

«We came to an understanding with President Trump that our teams, including our military, would manage everything we discussed,» Zelensky noted, without providing further details.

The White House has yet to respond to the call.

In recent weeks, Zelensky has been advocating for Washington to provide Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, a request that the White House is reportedly contemplating.

Russia has warned that supplying these missiles to Ukraine could jeopardize its relationship with the United States and lead to heightened tensions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated this warning on Sunday, stating that Moscow might regard any missile launches as potentially carrying nuclear warheads.

«Just think about it, a long-range missile is launched and flies, and we know it could be armed with nuclear capabilities. What should the Russian Federation conclude?» Peskov told a state television reporter.

On Sunday morning, Russia conducted a new series of attacks on Ukraine, resulting in one fatality and injuring over a dozen individuals across at least four regions, according to local officials.

In his discussion with Macron, Zelensky remarked that Moscow’s strikes have become «even more malicious.»

Russia initiated its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, framing it as a «special military operation» aimed at demilitarizing the country and thwarting NATO’s expansion.

Kyiv and its European partners contend that the war constitutes an illegal territorial seizure, leading to tens of thousands of casualties among civilians and military personnel, as well as widespread devastation.

Since 2022, millions of Ukrainians have been compelled to abandon their homes, while Russia now controls roughly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory, much of which has been devastated by combat.