Zelenskyy speaks about how Ukraine seizing initiative in war with Russia
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Getty Images)
Currently, Ukraine looks better than Russia both on the battlefield and in the production of advanced weaponry. The aggressor has lost the initiative, states Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Reuters Next Europe summit.
Situation on the frontline
According to the president, Russian forces attempted offensive operations in 12 directions, but in nearly all of them, they have lost the initiative.
Slow enemy advances are currently recorded only in two to three sectors, where Russia has concentrated a large amount of manpower and equipment.
Zelenskyy emphasized that in the remaining directions Russian forces had lost the initiative and that Ukrainian forces had taken it over. He also added that in two or three directions, Ukraine is currently achieving greater successes.
In particular, Ukraine’s Defense Forces are achieving progress on the Pokrovsk direction.
At the same time, combat operations continue, as neither side intends to halt offensive actions on the battlefield.
Millions of drones and international aid
The head of state also added that Ukraine "looks better" in the context of conducting medium- and long-range strikes.
According to him, the country plans to produce around 10 million drones this year, while production capacities could double that figure to 20 million drones.
The situation is also being positively influenced by increased international pressure on the aggressor. Western sanctions have already begun to work more effectively, although their scale is still insufficient.
A significant pillar of state stability has been the partners’ decision to allocate €90 billion in European support.
Controversial statements by Trump
US President Donald Trump has previously stated several times that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy allegedly has "no cards" in the context of the war with Russia.
In particular, the US leader made these remarks during a dispute with the Ukrainian president in the White House in 2025.
