Russia’s missile-drone terror is a direct result of Western indecision, says Dmytro Zhmailo, co-founder and executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, ArmyInform reports.
Russia has escalated its air assaults on Ukrainian cities, ignoring all calls for a ceasefire. On the night of 26 May, Russia launched 439 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine, an all-time record. The attack came amid US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts, which also include pressure on the victim of the war, Ukraine.
Zhmailo emphasizes that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin cynically talks about negotiations while continuing the war, and will continue to do so until he faces an adequate response.
According to him, Russia’s strategy is simple: act decisively while Europe and the US issue hollow ultimatums, observe passively, and make empty peace declarations.
“Trump said Putin would face sanctions — but nothing followed. His latest statement was: What if Russia doesn’t come to the negotiating table? If there’s no ceasefire? I’ll leave the process,” Zhmailo notes.
In contrast, autocracies, Putin’s allies, act with far more determination. Chinese technologies support Russia’s military-industrial complex, North Korean troops are fighting, and Iran supplies Shahed drones and ballistic missiles, all of which flow into Moscow’s power arsenal.
“Israel promised that if Iranian ballistic missiles ended up in the Russian army, it would unblock military aid to Ukraine. That hasn’t happened at all. So, Putin sees the West’s inaction, and simply raises the stakes,” he adds.
While the Russian dictator escalates, Ukraine urgently needs to unblock Western military assistance. Fresh US aid packages are unlikely to be approved in the short term. The last $8 billion in support was backed by the previous Joe Biden administration. Recently, US Secretary of State Rubio confirmed that no new aid packages are planned.
“That’s why Europe must wake up,” Zhmailo belives.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered separate funding to be allocated to Ukraine’s ballistic missile program in response to Russian aerial terror.