Putin wants a second front – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he supports an approach whereby arms exports take place only after the needs of the front line have been met. According to him, priority is given to countries that provide the greatest assistance to Ukraine financially, militarily and politically.
He noted that the development of Ukrainian naval drones was made possible not only by the domestic defence sector but also with the support of partners. Among such countries, he named the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands, which have significant experience in naval development.
The President announced that in 2026, Ukraine plans to allocate $30 billion to defence. At the same time, the defence industry is already capable of producing goods worth $60 billion. According to him, these funds come from partners, and previous years have ensured significant development of the defence-industrial complex.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also emphasised that a government-to-government security partnership serves as a framework agreement, on the basis of which companies enter Ukraine and conduct negotiations. According to him, such agreements allow the state budget to be replenished through taxes, whilst also guaranteeing partners the effective use of their technologies.
The President noted that there are around 200 defence companies operating in Ukraine, 30 of which are world-class. He emphasised that products from the Ukrainian defence sector have become a ‘Made in Ukraine’ brand, the value of which is determined not only by technology and finance, but also by experience of use on the battlefield.
Separately, the Head of State spoke about the Drone Deal programme, which envisages the creation of a defence system against massive attacks. It includes drones, air defence systems and electronic warfare systems. According to him, this is a long-term cooperation programme involving arms exports, joint production and financing.
The President announced that ten-year agreements have already been signed with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Furthermore, he said, a further 11 countries have expressed an interest in cooperation.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is also developing cooperation with European partners, notably Germany, Norway, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands. He added that Ukraine has good relations with the United Kingdom and France and looks forward to developing cooperation with these countries.
The President emphasised that such agreements are mutually beneficial. Among the examples he cited were cooperation on the supply of missiles for Patriot systems, assistance with energy security, and projects in the gas and electricity sectors.
He also stated that Ukraine aspires to membership of the European Union and believes that an alliance with countries such as Norway, Ukraine, the UK and Turkey could strengthen security in Europe.
Separately, the president commented on the situation in the Russian Federation. According to him, restrictions on access to social media are linked to attempts to avoid internal protests. He also noted that increasing the size of the Russian army requires mobilisation, as the contract system is too expensive.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that, in his view, Russia faces significant economic problems, and the budget deficit cannot be offset by short-term factors. He also noted that events in the Middle East are creating additional challenges for energy and security.
