Daniel Wolfram
This possible escalation is all a part of the effort by Ukraine and its partners to get Russia to agree to a peace deal.
The president of Finland, Alexander Stubb, revealed at a high-level conference that Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia are producing far-reaching consequences.
At the same conference, the president of Ukraine also revealed that the country is able to ramp up those efforts.
He just need the money for it.
More strikes deep inside Russia
At a meeting for the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined plans to increase long-range strikes against targets deep inside Russian territory.
He told reporters that factories can now build between 200 and 300 strike drones every day. These weapons can travel anywhere from 350 to 3,000 kilometers.
“We have enough capacity, of course, to increase the production,” Zelensky said. “We will be able to attack more.”
Building at that volume requires significant cash. Zelensky warned that a massive funding gap of about $27 billion is holding back the expansion.
Applying the pressure
“We have capacity,” Zelensky said. “We need more money, much more.”
The goal is to match Russia’s expanding aerial campaign. Moscow has scaled up its daily drone launches from roughly 40 two years ago to around 500 currently. Zelensky believes bringing the realities of the war closer to ordinary Russian citizens will ultimately put internal pressure on Putin.
“If we want to bring back this war to Russia and make it painful for them, really, that their society will feel and will pressure Putin, I think this is one of the instruments how to push Putin to negotiations,” Zelensky said.
Allies pledge support
Finnish President Alexander Stubb backed the campaign during the summit. He described the long-range drone strikes as a “sensible military strategy.”
Presidents and Prime Ministers from Britain, France, Denmark, and Germany chaired the talks alongside Kyiv officials. They promised to bolster Ukrainian air defenses, tighten economic sanctions on Russia, and crack down on its shadow fleet.
Partners also decided to deliver urgent aid in order to repair energy networks damaged by recent Russian strikes before winter arrives.
