Zelenskiy urges US to back deep strikes inside Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has increased pressure on the United States to permit Kyiv to strike military targets deep within Russian territory. This follows discussions between Ukrainian officials and senior US leaders in Washington. While the US has provided Ukraine with over $50 billion in military aid since 2022, it has limited the use of these weapons to Ukrainian soil and defensive cross-border operations.

Zelenskiy highlighted that guided aerial bomb attacks on Kharkiv had killed six people and injured 97 on Friday, with more attacks on Saturday. He argued that these strikes could only be prevented by targeting Russian military airfields, bases, and logistics networks. In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said, "We talk about this every day with our partners. We persuade. We present arguments."

He emphasised that removing Russian aerial threats from Ukrainian skies would push Russia towards ending the war and achieving a just peace.

Appealing to the US, Britain, France, and Germany, Zelenskiy urged for the ability to fully protect Ukraine by granting access to long-range capabilities, including shells and missiles. Without disclosing specifics, he mentioned that Ukraine had provided its partners with all necessary details to support their requests.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led a delegation to Washington on Friday and Saturday, explained in a CNN interview that Ukraine was demonstrating how Russian airfields used to attack Ukrainian cities were within reach of deeper strikes. He expressed hope that Ukraine’s requests for capabilities to protect its citizens against Russian airstrikes had been understood.

Zelenskiy is expected to make a similar appeal in person when he meets with US President Joe Biden next month and presents a victory plan. This visit will coincide with his attendance at United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.

Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who led Kyiv’s delegation, discussed restoring Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which has been heavily damaged by Russian strikes. She highlighted the importance of an $800 million energy financing package announced in June as part of the restoration efforts.

Additionally, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and Umerov briefed US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin about the current battlefield situation during their visit. Yermak stressed the urgency of receiving weapons from existing defense packages, especially following a week in which Russia launched over 400 missile and drone strikes on Ukraine.