Zelensky will make one final request to the U.S. for approval of long-range strikes on Russia

During his upcoming trip to the United States, scheduled for next week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will make a final attempt to secure approval from U.S. authorities for long-range strikes on Russia.

This information comes from an article in The Economist titled “American Restrictions on Strikes Against Russia Are Hurting Ukraine.”

“Zelensky will soon have his last chance to persuade Biden to change his approach before he leaves office (as U.S. President) during their meeting in New York next week,” the publication emphasized.

If Biden refuses the Ukrainian leader’s request, Zelensky’s plea will be referred to the next administration, which will consider the issue after the November elections in the United States.

At the same time, simply obtaining permission for long-range strikes on Russian territory is not enough. To meet Ukraine’s military demands, Western countries must also provide the necessary missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed.

“Just allowing it is not enough. If only one country allows it—and there are already such messages—we need to know whether the country has provided the appropriate weapons at this point. So, we need not just permission, but also weapons,” Zelensky said.

During a briefing with Dutch Prime Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius, he clarified that the necessary resources are currently available to four countries: the U.S., the U.K., France, and Germany. The politician added that the Ukrainian authorities are very optimistic about this issue.

At the same time, in Russia, Zelensky’s requests to allow strikes on Russian territory with Western weapons were dismissed as publicity stunts. Dmitry Novikov, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, shared his opinion on the matter.

“He could take such steps without creating constant media buzz around this topic. He is doing this exactly as a PR element, a semblance of bargaining with the West, where each side plays its role. (…) All this is some sort of game to keep the Ukraine issue constantly in the media spotlight,” Novikov noted.

He reminded that it is still unknown whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attack on the Kursk region was a coordinated step with the West. Nevertheless, Novikov pointed out that Kyiv’s strikes on Russia with Western weapons, whether approved or not, do not mean that partners will stop supporting Ukraine.

However, recently it has become increasingly difficult for the West to fulfill its promises to Kyiv. In 2024, NATO countries stated that they would ensure Ukraine’s air defense systems, damaged by military actions, are renewed, but this has not yet happened.