Ukraine's stepped up strikes on targets inside Russia allow Kyiv to negotiate the end of the war on an equal footing, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday (June 3).

Speaking to reporters alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv, Zelenskiy added that it was only a question of time for Ukraine to increase the scale of such strikes.

(Production: Sergiy Voloshyn, Andrii Pryimachenko)

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Deep strikes let Ukraine negotiate with Russia on equal terms, Zelenskiy says

VIDEO SHOWS: NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SPEAKING DURING JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: KYIV, UKRAINE (JUNE 3, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, APPROACHING STAGE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“Thank God, thanks to our armed forces, our strength is being felt on the battlefield today. We have made significant progress in deep strikes. Today we’ve reached (a target) 1,100 (kilometres away), and this isn’t an isolated incident - it’s a specific target and a concrete result.”

3. WHITE FLASH

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“And I think, thank God, that today we have such security guarantees that allow us to end this war on equal footing with the Russians in any diplomatic format.”

5. NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“They must know that if they use drones and missiles against us, we will do the same. And it is only a matter of time before we can increase the scale of our responses.”

7. NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“I believe that the Russians also need Ukraine to be in NATO. Because in the future, it could be painful (for Russia) if Ukraine isn’t in NATO.”

9. NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“Europe needs to move more quickly on its own anti-ballistic missile project. We all need this. We are already working with several countries - France, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and other partners - to build European anti-ballistic capabilities.”

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

“Ukraine is now so successful that Putin is only able to organise a 9th of May parade with an official presidential decree by this president (Zelenskiy). So this is basically how far you (Ukraine) got. And I think for 2 hours you allowed him (Putin) to do it, and it (the parade) ended in 1 hour 55 minutes, so he didn't take a risk.”

12. NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING

13. RUTTE AND ZELENSKIY LEAVING