Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that Ukraine may not be able to win the war against Russia without continued U.S. aid.
"If aid is cut, I think we will lose. Of course, we will fight anyway. We have [military] production, but it is not enough to win. And I think it is not enough to survive," Zelensky said during an interview with Fox News.
Zelensky emphasized that the United States plays a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the war.
"[Russian President Vladimir] Putin is weaker than the United States of America. The U.S. President has strength, authority, and weapons, and he can reduce the price of energy," Zelensky said, stressing the importance of American leadership.
He also noted that while it would be "not easy" for President-elect Donald Trump to end the conflict, Trump could do so because "he is much stronger than Putin."
Zelensky reiterated that the United States remains far more powerful than Russia.
Ukraine’s Military Production Goals
Zelensky also addressed Ukraine's plans to bolster its domestic defense production, including at least 30,000 long-range drones and 3,000 cruise and drone missiles by 2025.
"Just like this year, next year we will fully meet the production and delivery targets for all other types of drones," he said.
Ukraine has also made progress in missile production.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov recently announced the completion of the first 100 long-range R-360 Neptune missiles, initially developed as anti-ship missiles with a range of 280 kilometers. These missiles are based on the Soviet Kh-35 design and were developed by the Ukrainian design bureau Luch.
Russia first claimed to have intercepted a Neptune missile in August 2022.
U.S. Support and Challenges Ahead
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the United States has provided more than $174 billion in financial and military aid to Ukraine, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
But concerns about the future of U.S. support loom large.
Former President Donald Trump has expressed a desire to scale back aid to Ukraine and prioritize a swift peace deal. In contrast, current President Joe Biden is working to secure Congressional approval for financial aid through 2025 before leaving office.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has indicated that Biden’s administration is keen to ensure continued support for Kyiv before Trump takes office, should he win the presidency.
