Zelensky presses Nato for air defence systems after intense Russian strikes

What Happened

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to use a NATO meeting in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday and Wednesday to urge allies to provide urgently needed air defence systems, particularly Patriot interceptor missiles, following two Russian missile strikes on Kyiv in less than a week that killed over 50 civilians. Zelensky argues that Russia's reliance on ballistic weapons makes air defence a priority, as Ukraine's air force failed to intercept a single ballistic missile in a recent attack. Simultaneously, Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries and military targets, including confirmed hits in Omsk, Siberia, and St. Petersburg, as well as daily attacks in Crimea, causing fuel shortages, power cuts, and a state of emergency. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that air defences intercepted 'most' of the 430 drones Ukraine fired toward Moscow overnight. Zelensky frames these strikes as an 'influence campaign' to pressure President Vladimir Putin into peace negotiations on terms Kyiv can accept, and he will seek to present this strategy to NATO allies and former U.S. President Donald Trump during the summit.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The Ankara meeting could determine whether Ukraine gains sufficient air defence capabilities to counter Russia's escalating ballistic missile attacks, which have proven difficult to intercept and caused civilian casualties. Ukraine's drone campaign is disrupting Russian logistics and energy infrastructure, potentially creating leverage for negotiations, but the outcome depends on sustained Western support. The discussions, including Zelensky's meeting with Trump, come at a critical juncture as Ukraine seeks to end the war through 'strength or diplomacy' before another winter.

Watch For

Concrete commitments from NATO members on air defence systems, particularly Patriot missiles, during or after the Tuesday–Wednesday summit. Continued Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on Russian oil and military infrastructure and any Russian retaliation or countermeasures. Signs of progress toward peace negotiations following Trump's phone call with Putin, and any shift in Zelensky's diplomatic strategy.