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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is preparing to launch military operations on NATO territory, citing confirmed intelligence findings.
Speaking at the Defense Industry Forum held during the NATO summit in The Hague, Zelenskyy stated, "Our intelligence confirms it. Russia is planning new military operations on NATO soil." He added, "What is happening in our country now is part of preparations for future military actions against NATO countries."
Zelenskyy emphasized that the ongoing war in Ukraine is not limited to Ukraine’s borders and should be seen as a direct threat to NATO countries.
He noted that Russian forces are using weapons supplied by Iran and North Korea and highlighted the involvement of certain Chinese companies in assisting Russia’s arms production.
He called on allies to impose increased sanctions on companies supporting Russia’s military production, stating that such support threatens the security of all of Europe.
According to Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no intention of ending the war. "There is no sign that Putin wants to stop the war. Russia is rejecting all peace proposals, including those from the EU," he said.
The Ukrainian president also urged NATO nations to invest in Ukraine’s defense industry, claiming a total annual production capacity of around $35 billion. He said Ukraine is capable of manufacturing around 1,000 types of weapons, including up to 8 million drones per year.
"We can produce nearly 8 million UAVs of various types annually, but we currently have funding for only a fraction of that," he said.
A senior source from the Ukrainian presidency told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet on Wednesday during the NATO summit in The Hague.
Preparations for the meeting were discussed between Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The meeting is expected to focus on Ukraine’s purchase of a new defense package, especially air defense systems, and additional sanctions against Russia, including a proposed oil price cap reduction from $60 to $45 per barrel.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed all alliance members agreed to unprecedented 5% defense spending targets, marking a significant victory for Trump's demands.
"It was not easy, but we've got them all signed onto 5%," Rutte wrote to Trump ahead of the NATO meetings, calling it something "NO American president in decades could get done."
The upcoming agreement will represent a substantial increase from the current 2% GDP benchmark that many NATO members struggle to meet. The spending will be divided into 3.5% for core military needs by 2035 and 1.5% for broader defense-related areas, including cybersecurity and infrastructure.
Speaking ahead of a NATO leaders' meeting in The Hague, Rutte said that although the financial commitment would be politically challenging for many countries, the threat from Russia and broader global instability leaves no alternative.
"There is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article Five. And yes, there is also an expectation, which will be fulfilled today, that the Canadians and the Europeans will speed up their spending, making sure that we are able to defend ourselves against the Russians and others," he said.
NATO Secretary-General Rutte stressed the importance of winning what he called the "production war" against Russia.
"It is unthinkable that Russia, whose economy is 25 times smaller than NATO's, should leave us behind in defense production," Rutte said. "We must spend more to prevent war. We must win this new 'production' war."
Rutte also called on European Union countries to cooperate with NATO allies like Türkiye in the defense industry production.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that "Europe's future is being written not only on the front lines in Ukraine but also in your factories," addressing defense industry stakeholders.
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