Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to appeal to NATO allies for more air defence systems at a summit in Ankara, as the country faces a sharp rise in Russian missile and drone strikes.
The appeal follows two major Russian strikes on Kyiv within a week. Ukrainian authorities said the strikes hit apartment buildings and killed more than 50 civilians, highlighting the country’s continued vulnerability to ballistic missile strikes.
Zelensky is also expected to seek meetings with key leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to argue that the intensifying Russian attacks are evidence of Moscow’s determination to increase military pressure rather than negotiate. He has repeatedly said that Ukraine needs more international support to pressure Russia into meaningful peace negotiations.
The new Russian strikes come as Ukraine is expanding its long-range drone operations targeting military and energy infrastructure inside Russia. Ukrainian officials said the campaign was meant to interfere with Russian military logistics and make the war more costly for Moscow to sustain.
Russian social media has been discussing long queues at petrol stations and that fuel is running low after attacks on oil refineries. But it’s difficult to independently verify how widespread and how directly these shortages are affecting things.
Zelensky said ahead of the NATO meeting that he hoped the summit would result in concrete commitments, not just symbolic declarations.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on member states to ramp up military assistance to Ukraine, saying Kyiv needs constant backing to protect its sovereignty and keep Russian forces under pressure.
Ukraine’s main problem is still defence against ballistic missile strikes. Ukrainian air defences have intercepted many of the drones fired by Russia, but ballistic missiles fly much faster and on a different trajectory, making them much harder to intercept.
The air force of Ukraine publishes regular assessments of incoming attacks and interception rates. The most recent reports indicate that although many drones have been intercepted, ballistic missiles remain a significant threat.
Western allies have provided Patriot air-defence systems, which they believe are among the few that can shoot down ballistic missiles. But they remain in short supply worldwide, and Ukraine’s partners face a difficult decision about further deliveries.
In a recent address, Zelensky criticised the speed of global air defence system production, stating that it has not increased sufficiently to shield civilians from ongoing missile attacks. He urged European countries to provide more Patriot systems from their existing stockpiles and to assist Ukraine in building its own air defence capabilities.
Ukraine says long-range strikes inside Russia have revealed holes in Russian air defences Recent strikes have hit oil refineries, military facilities and infrastructure, including sites in the Omsk region, more than 2,500 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.
Ukraine has also increased strikes on military logistics and infrastructure in Crimea, the peninsula seized by Russia in 2014. Ukrainian officials say the strikes aim to disrupt Russian military operations, while Russian authorities report damage to infrastructure and disruptions to essential services.
The battlefield escalation comes as Kyiv continues to reject Russian demands that Ukraine cede control of the entire Donbas region as part of any negotiated settlement. Ukrainian officials say any future peace talks must respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The NATO summit is expected to be dominated by military assistance, air defence capabilities and wider support for Ukraine as the conflict enters yet another phase of intensified aerial warfare.
