Zelensky: U.S. Intelligence Support Strong but Not Complete

Ukrainian President Zelensky underscored that American intelligence cooperation remains strong, particularly in providing warnings about missile, ballistic and drone attacks against Ukraine.

“The Americans do provide us with information. They have always given us a lot of information, but not all of the information that our Ukrainian Armed Forces wanted,” he said.

He stressed that Kyiv cannot blame Washington for any shortcomings related to advance warnings of attacks, noting that Ukraine receives intelligence from both European and American partners.

Zelensky acknowledged that Ukraine had specific requests concerning long-range targets and did not always receive everything it sought. However, he was careful to frame this in context, pointing out that Ukraine previously lacked domestically produced long-range weapons. “That is true. But I do not want this to sound like an accusation,” he added.

Battlefield Gains and Russian Losses

Turning to the situation on the front lines, Zelensky said Ukraine has regained approximately 300 square kilometers since the beginning of the year. He contrasted this with 2024, when Ukraine lost around 4,200 square kilometers overall.

According to his estimates, Russian forces have been losing between 30,000 and 35,000 personnel per month since December. While Moscow had been mobilizing up to 44,000 troops monthly, Kyiv now observes a net monthly loss of 8,000 to 10,000 Russian soldiers operating on Ukrainian territory.

Zelensky also claimed that each kilometer of Russian advance costs Moscow roughly 157 troops killed, underscoring what he described as the heavy human toll of incremental gains.

Technology and Negotiation Dynamics

The president noted that Ukrainian forces are currently exploiting issues with Russian access to Starlink systems on the battlefield.

Addressing diplomatic efforts, Zelensky rejected reporting by The Economist suggesting divisions among Ukrainian negotiators, calling such claims offensive and aligned with Russian narratives.

He further revealed that both American and Russian interlocutors have suggested that a rapid end to the war would require Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas. Zelensky reiterated that territorial integrity — including strategic infrastructure — is not merely an economic issue but a matter of sovereignty.

While diplomacy continues, Zelensky’s remarks made clear that Kyiv views intelligence cooperation as intact, battlefield momentum as shifting, and core territorial demands as unchanged.