With Ukrainian forces facing intense Russian advances across various fronts, President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the United States and European nations to increase their defensive support for Ukraine. Speaking in an interview with The New York Times on Monday, Zelensky dismissed concerns over possible nuclear escalation and proposed that NATO planes should intercept Russian missiles within Ukrainian airspace.
Additionally, Zelensky demanded authorization from U.S. officials for Ukraine to target military sites inside Russia using American missiles and other weaponry. The U.S. has so far rejected this approach. The Ukrainian president argued that the inability to conduct cross-border strikes provides Russia with a significant tactical edge, enabling continued assaults in Ukraine’s northeast regions.
Video footage showed Zelensky making an urgent plea from the office in Kiev where he conducted the interview. Over the course of 50 minutes, he expressed both frustration and confusion at the Western hesitance to engage in more aggressive actions to ensure Ukraine’s victory.
Zelensky’s appeals come at a critical juncture in Ukraine’s struggle. The Ukrainian military is currently in retreat while awaiting a new shipment of American arms. Analysts point out that the current military challenge is the gravest Ukraine has faced since the early stages of the conflict.
The timing is also significant for Ukrainian domestic politics. Zelensky made these statements on the final day of his official five-year term as president. Given the suspension of elections scheduled for March due to the ongoing war, he will continue to serve as president under martial law, extending his tenure for as long as hostilities persist.
However, despite American hesitancy at escalating the conflict, other NATO countries have signaled a willingness to do so by sending in military personnel to train Ukrainian forces. U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr has indicated such escalation is inevitable.
