Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing the NATO Defense Industry Forum in The Hague on June 24, stated that there are no indications suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking an end to the ongoing war.
“Russia continues to reject all peace initiatives, including those proposed by the United States,” Zelensky remarked. “Putin is solely focused on war—that is a fact. It is possible he links his political survival to his ability to continue waging war: as long as he kills, he lives. This assessment is confirmed by our intelligence services.”
President Zelensky further warned that Russia is reportedly planning new military operations targeting NATO member territories, including those of countries represented at the forum.
“While the war is currently being fought on Ukrainian soil, we must be fully prepared. We must stop Putin now, within Ukraine, but we must also acknowledge that his ambitions extend far beyond Ukrainian borders.”
He called on European nations to increase their defense expenditures, stating that allocating 5% of GDP to defense would be a reasonable and necessary threshold. Zelensky emphasized that a united Europe has the capacity to develop defense systems capable of dismantling the illusion that a war against Europe could yield any strategic benefit for Russia.
Highlighting Ukraine’s industrial capabilities, Zelensky noted that the country can produce over 8 million drones annually across various categories. He urged allied nations to increase their investments to help Ukraine reach its full production potential.
The Defense Industry Forum is taking place ahead of the NATO Summit in The Hague, where member states are expected to commit to significantly increased defense spending—up to 5% of GDP. Bilateral talks between President Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled for the early afternoon, during which the two sides are expected to finalize the summit agenda.
The NATO Summit follows the G7 meeting in Canada, where the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents were unable to meet after both Trump and Zelensky left the gathering early. As a result, the remaining G7 nations failed to produce a unified statement on the war in Ukraine, following U.S. insistence on softening the language of the final communiqué.
