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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not limit his military ambitions to Ukraine, predicting Moscow will target another European country as part of a broader conflict strategy.
Speaking in Kyiv following his recent meeting with Donald Trump at the United Nations in New York, Zelenskyy said Russia is preparing for an expanded war. "Putin will not wait to finish his war in Ukraine. He will open up some other direction. Nobody knows where. He wants that," the Ukrainian leader said.
The warning comes amid a pattern of Russian drone incursions across Europe that Zelenskyy characterized as deliberate tests of NATO's defensive capabilities. Recent incidents include drone sightings over military installations in Denmark, Poland and Romania, as well as violations of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets.
Danish and Norwegian military bases reported additional drone activity over the weekend, with sightings Friday night and Saturday respectively. These incidents follow a significant breach earlier this month when Ukraine detected 92 drones flying toward Poland in what Zelenskyy described as a "choreographed" manner. While Ukraine intercepted most of the aircraft, 19 crossed into Polish territory, where Polish forces shot down four.
Zelenskyy suggested European governments are struggling to address this emerging threat, noting the disparity in defensive capabilities. "I am not comparing our forces. We are at war and they [Poland] are not," he said.
The Ukrainian president announced that representatives from several unnamed countries will travel to Ukraine for "practical training" on repelling Russian aerial attacks. "We are ready to share our experience," he added, highlighting Ukraine's battlefield expertise gained through nearly three years of conflict.
Zelenskyy's warnings followed what he described as "very nice" talks with Trump during the UN General Assembly. The U.S. president expressed confidence that Ukraine could reclaim all territory lost since 2022 with continued European and NATO support.
Trump also characterized Russia's economy as being in serious trouble and described its military as a "paper tiger." Zelenskyy said he briefed Trump on battlefield realities, explaining that Russian territorial gains are often temporary. The Ukrainian leader noted that Trump now has greater "faith" in Ukraine and has recognized Russia's "disrespect" toward him and others.
As winter approaches, Zelenskyy warned that any Russian attempts to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure will trigger retaliatory strikes against Moscow. Ukraine has conducted successful long-range drone attacks against Russian oil refineries in recent months using domestically produced weapons.
The Ukrainian president declined to comment on reports that he requested U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of reaching Moscow, calling it a "sensitive issue."
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