Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that he will advocate for Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to target Russian territory during his upcoming visit to Washington. Zelensky's statement came just hours after he confirmed that neither the United States nor Britain had yet granted permission for Kyiv to employ such weapons in this manner. However, in his evening address, Zelensky emphasized: "We are persuading our partners — and we will continue this dialogue next week — that Ukraine requires full long-range capabilities."
During his Washington trip, Zelensky is scheduled to discuss his strategy for ending the war with President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Kyiv has been urging the West for weeks to permit the use of Western-supplied long-range weapons to strike Russian targets. Zelensky believes this could alter the war's trajectory, which has been ongoing since Moscow's invasion two and a half years ago.
Zelensky revealed to reporters on Friday that "neither America nor the United Kingdom has granted us permission to use these weapons on Russian territory, at any distance." He speculated that their concern might be about escalation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that Ukraine's use of Western-supplied long-range weapons to attack Russian territory would imply NATO countries are also at war with Russia. Yet, Zelensky hinted at optimism, suggesting that Biden might still be swayed.
A close adviser to Biden recently stated that he aims to "position Ukraine for victory" during his remaining time in office. Zelensky's visit to the United States follows a summer marked by intense combat. Russian forces have been advancing in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv has maintained control over parts of Russia's Kursk region. The Russian army is now approximately 10km from the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, where Kyiv has relocated evacuees from frontline areas.
The conflict has persisted for nearly 31 months, with efforts to cease hostilities proving unsuccessful thus far. Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's readiness to host a second international peace summit in November, stating that "all our allies, including our closest ones," believe Russia should participate. However, Russia declared on Saturday that it would not attend such a summit unless Kyiv ceded four of its regions. Zelensky acknowledged the potential for a "very different situation in November" following the US election and planned to discuss the victory plan with Harris and meet Trump.
While Harris has signaled her support for continuing Biden's policies toward Ukraine, Trump declined to take sides on the war during a recent debate. Kyiv fears that a second Trump term could lead to a diminished US commitment. Trump has been critical of the substantial aid Washington has provided to Kyiv. Zelensky also dismissed peace proposals from China and Brazil, both of which have friendly relations with Russia, as too vague.
On the battlefield, Zelensky reported that Kyiv had struck two weapons depots in southern and western Russia, including a crucial site for Moscow's forces. Russian authorities responded with evacuations and declared a local emergency. Additionally, Kyiv reported that Russian attacks on Zelensky's hometown of Kryvyi Rig had resulted in the deaths of a 12-year-old boy and two women in their 70s, along with a 12-year-old girl and a woman in her 20s in a strike on the city of Nikopol.
