Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Tuesday that Russia could soon launch attacks against other European nations, calling the risk “very high” as Vladimir Putin looks for ways to split European support for Kyiv.
Zelenskyy made the comments to Fox News Digital in New York after meeting President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
“That’s why the risk of offensive by drones, missiles or land operation is very high against other countries who are bordering Russia or Belarus,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy argued that Putin, having failed to achieve his objectives in Ukraine, may try to destabilize other parts of Europe to force Western governments to scale back their backing of Kyiv.
“How to divide unanimity in Europe? … To attack somebody else. To attack and say, look, I will go further if you will not stop this,” Zelenskyy said.
He pointed to recent drone incursions and disruptions across several European countries as evidence that Moscow is already testing how European societies respond.
Asked what European nations should do about the growing threat, Zelenskyy did not mince words.
“Respond. Always respond. It’s not about the war. If you don’t respond, Russians, they will go further,” he said.
A pattern across the continent
Zelenskyy’s warning lands amid a string of incidents European officials have already flagged as Russian provocations. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sept. 14 that peace in Europe was under threat, pointing to Russia’s growing presence in the Arctic and rising hybrid attacks elsewhere. His comments followed an attempted drone strike at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4, which German authorities publicly blamed on Russia on Sept. 1.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on Sept. 17 that Russia was preparing drone or missile attacks against NATO countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland, and could try to pass the strikes off as accidents to blunt NATO’s response.
These are not abstract fears. On Sept. 8, a drone crossed into Romanian airspace before returning to Moldova and crashing, Romania’s Defense Ministry said. A week later, Italian fighter jets flying under NATO’s air defense mission shot down a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. Italian officials said it most likely originated in Russia, though Lithuania was still investigating.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs told The Guardian on Sept. 18 that European nations and NATO are falling behind on drone warfare, leaving gaps in air and missile defenses that Russia could exploit.
What Zelenskyy raised with Trump
Zelenskyy said his talks with Trump also covered a possible mutual halt to strikes on energy infrastructure in both Russia and Ukraine, along with Kyiv’s need for more Patriot air defense missiles before winter.
“We are ready,” Zelenskyy said of a potential deal to stop energy strikes, though he said he did not know if Russia would agree to the same terms.
He said Trump signaled a willingness to help Ukraine secure more air defense equipment, but no firm commitment on immediate missile shipments was made. The meeting took place as Russia and Ukraine both escalated aerial strikes, including hits on energy infrastructure, in the run-up to the UN General Assembly.
