If They Are Bold Enough...: Amid Peace Talks With Russia, Ukraines Zelenskyy Calls For More Support

Hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Turkey's Istanbul under the shadow of Kyiv's drone attack on Russian airbases damaging around 41 aircraft, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called upon the European allies and West to extend more support to Kyiv. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has shown its capability by striking deep inside Russia. Zelesnkyy speculated that Russia might plan a fresh attack against Ukraine post-Belarus meet.
"Europe, together with America, has better weapons than Russia. We also have stronger tactical solutions – our operation 'Spiderweb' yesterday proved that. Russia must feel what its losses mean. That is what will push it toward diplomacy. And when Russia takes losses in this war, it's obvious to everyone that Ukraine is the one holding the line – not just for itself, but for all of Europe," said Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian President also said Kyiv needs more strength against Russia. "Ask your intelligence – what is Russia planning this summer in Belarus? If they're bold enough to prepare attacks from there, then we need more strength – together. And right now, that means strengthening Ukraine – so we can stop this war and prevent it from spreading. That's why weapons production matters. At today's summit in Vilnius with the Bucharest Nine and the Nordic Countries, I thanked our partners for their support, and we are coordinating our steps together," said Zelenskyy.
As fresh peace talks get underway, Moscow's lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, has confirmed Russia received Ukraine's draft memorandum for a peace agreement. Russia, in turn, announced it would present its own draft, along with unspecificied ceasefire proposals. Leading the Ukrainian delegation is Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, whose team notably arrived wearing combat fatigues, a stark visual reminder of the ongoing conflict.
The previous round of talks in Istanbul on May 16, 2025, saw the largest prisoner swap of the war, with 1,000 detainees freed by each side. However, despite this exchange, there was no progress on peace or a ceasefire, as both sides presented vastly different opening negotiation positions.

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