The top U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio issued a blunt call to his Russian counterpart to halt the "killing" in Ukraine Wednesday, as Washington's stance on Moscow hardened.
Rubio "reiterated President [Donald] Trump's call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps toward a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier praised Trump following the U.S. president's unexpected turn against Russia on Tuesday, in which he suggested that Kyiv could not only win the war and re-take its territory — but could even expand it.
But the Ukrainian leader cast doubt on NATO's ability to guarantee Kyiv's security.
"Because international institutions are too weak, this madness continues. Even being part of the long-standing military alliance doesn't automatically mean you are safe," Zelensky told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
Zelensky said he had a "good meeting" with Trump, who has ruled out NATO membership for Kyiv and berated the Ukrainian leader at a February encounter at the White House before warming to him.
"Of course we are doing everything to make sure Europe truly helps and of course, we count on the United States," Zelensky said.
Trump's suggestion Tuesday that Kyiv could win, with support from the European Union and NATO, marked an extraordinary shift after months of saying Ukraine would not get back swaths of territory taken by Russia.
Trump said Ukraine could regain all its land and suggested, without elaborating, that Kyiv could "maybe even go further than that!"
'Big fat missiles'
The U.S. leader's comments marked his latest in a series of policy switches on Ukraine, including a sudden pivot to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin early this year that stunned allies.
Zelensky warned Wednesday that Europe could not afford to lose strategically located Moldova to Russian influence and let it follow Belarus and Georgia into Moscow's orbit.
"Russia's trying to do to Moldova what Iran once did to Lebanon and the global response again, [is] not enough. We have already lost Georgia in Europe... and for many, many years, Belarus has also been moving toward dependence on Russia. Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova too," he said at the UN General Assembly.
Moldova, a former Soviet republic, goes to the polls on Sunday with pro-EU President Maia Sandu facing a barrage of deepfake videos and other disinformation linked to Russia.
Zelensky also sounded the alarm over the development of autonomous drones and unmanned aerial vehicles capable of shooting down other drones and targeting critical infrastructure.
"We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence," he said, adding that the only real security guarantees are "friends and weapons."
"If the world can't respond even to all threats, and if there is no strong platform for international security, will there be any peace left on earth?"
The wartime leader, who has a packed itinerary of meetings with world leaders while in New York for the UN's signature diplomatic week, stressed that Ukraine had been forced to ramp up its military production.
"Ukraine doesn't have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades, but we do have drones that can fly up to 2,000, 3,000 kilometers.
"We had no choice but to build them to protect our right to life."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
