We Value the Alignment of Steps and the Fact That America Is Advancing a Realistic Vision of What Needs to Be Done and What Must Be Achieved – Address by the President

Dear Ukrainians!

Today I held a meeting of the Staff. The key is to maximize the use of our weapons to defend against Russian strikes on Ukraine. The main priority is to strengthen our defense against jet-powered “shaheds” and to step up the frequency of our deep strikes against Russia. The task is a thousand drones for long-range sanctions against Russia every day. Right now, we average over 300 of our long-range sanctions – there must be more. We have a very specific goal, and we will achieve it. The Russians have chosen a tactic of intensifying terror: constant air raid alerts, one after another in Kyiv, and unfortunately, it is specifically jet-powered “shaheds” that are getting through. The same is happening in our other cities and communities – constant strikes on Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, the Sumy, Chernihiv, and Dnipro regions, and our Kherson. Ordinary civilian enterprises were damaged in the Kyiv region. All our means of countering this have already been deployed, and what is important is to significantly accelerate the production of interceptors specifically against these jet-powered “shaheds,” and to ensure that our deep strikes make Russia feel even more responsible for its choice to continue this war.

Peace could have been achieved long ago, but the only one who is not interested in peace is the one ruling in Moscow. They already have less gasoline, fewer exports, and less logistics. For the first time in its history, Russia is importing gasoline and is, in fact, using budget funds to support its oil companies. There will be even more such losses for them if Russia does not want to talk rationally about ending this war. There were also reports from our military on Novorossiysk – we are already achieving the result we need: no vessel is entering the port of Novorossiysk, and no vessel is leaving it. And every day without movement in Novorossiysk is a contribution to reducing Russia’s war-making potential. We will definitely find ways to block their other ports as well. We are not the ones who started this war, and we are entirely justified in responding to Russia’s actions.

Today, we received information from the American side about the meetings in Moscow that took place the other day. There was a series of meetings. We spoke before the meetings, and we have spoken again now with the American side. Thank you for the information – and for the necessary tone of the conversation with Russia. We value the alignment of steps and the fact that America is advancing a realistic vision of what needs to be done and what must be achieved. Russia must end its war, and all the necessary conditions must be created to make that happen.

And one more thing.

Today Prime Minister Koretskyi delivered his report, and we discussed with members of parliament that work on the bills and government decisions that will provide Ukraine with the necessary funding from our partners is being accelerated as much as possible. It is important this fall to work in unison and do so in such a way that all decisions that can support our army, our defense procurement, our supplies to the front, and the protection of our skies – that all of this is fully resourced. The Prime Minister is personally overseeing this now, and I expect results. Every two weeks there will be a detailed report from the Prime Minister on what is being implemented and what help is needed. All defense tasks, all our social tasks in the interests of our people, and full supplies to the front must be ensured.

I thank everyone who stands with Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!