Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a stark warning to the Kremlin in an interview with Axios, stressing that if Russia does not end the war, Russian officials must make sure they know where the nearest bomb shelter is.
He stressed that he has the explicit support of US President Donald Trump for strikes on Russian targets such as energy infrastructure and weapons plants. Zelensky said that if Ukraine receives additional long-range weapons from the United States, "we will use them."
During his meeting with Trump, the Ukrainian leader requested a specific new weapons system that he said would force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. "President Trump said, 'We will work on it,'" Zelensky said.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine would not bomb civilians because "we are not terrorists." He implied, however, that centers of Russian power, including the Kremlin, were within sight of Ukrainian forces. "They need to know where the bomb shelters are. If they don't stop the war, they will need them," he said.
The Ukrainian president added that his country was ready to respond to Russian strikes. "If they attack us, we will respond," Zelensky said firmly. He added that Trump supports the idea of a reciprocal response, including strikes on Russian energy and military targets.
Zelensky revealed that Ukraine already has drones capable of carrying out strikes deep into Russian territory, but that he wants an additional weapons system to speed up the end of the war. "We need it, but it does not mean that we will use it. This will be additional pressure on Putin to negotiate," he explained.
The president said that he did not intend to lead the country in peacetime and was ready to ask parliament to hold elections if a ceasefire was reached. "My goal is to end the war, not to continue running for office," Zelensky stressed.
He noted that elections in Ukraine have been postponed due to the military conflict and that the security situation poses a serious challenge. "During a ceasefire, I think security can make it possible to hold elections. It can happen," he said.