Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Europe to ramp up "more real pressure on Russia and more defence support for Ukraine" ahead of crunch talks in Brussels. The Ukrainian President will attend the European Council meeting to "hold talks with partners" during the quarterly meeting of EU leaders.
Meetings with NATO and EU leaders
Mr Zelensky said he will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and the Prime Ministers of Poland, Denmark, and Belgium. He will also meet, he said, with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, as well as the Prime Ministers of Hungary, Finland, and Sweden, tomorrow (October 16).
Mr Zelensky wrote in a post on X: "All of us in Europe want this war to end. And for that to happen, strong signals are needed – more real pressure on Russia and more defence support for Ukraine. It is especially important now to act together to protect lives."
Starlink access blocked
These scheduled meetings with EU leaders follow the Ukrainian President's statement that he felt he was "betrayed" by US President Donald Trump. Mr Zelensky claimed Mr Trump and Elon Musk deliberately blocked Starlink access for Ukraine overnight, causing the Ukrainian military to face slowdowns in speed.
Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company, which provides high-speed broadband globally. This meant Ukrainian forces had to cancel missions after losing access to high-speed services.
Speaking to Piers Morgan, Mr Zelensky said: "It's a pity that we are losing a strong partner," while appearing on the YouTube talk show "Piers Morgan Uncensored".
"I am sure they knew what they did, absolutely. Because it was 1am, Starlink was blocked by SpaceX and the United States. This decision will bring a lot of human losses. Of course, people will die," he also said.
Ongoing tensions with Russia
Meanwhile, tensions remain high between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine reportedly launched a massive attack on a Russian airfield in Voronezh Oblast. Russian air attacks killed at least nine people in Ukraine and left hundreds of thousands without power.
Vladimir Putin also said that Russia will retaliate after the recent Ukrainian attacks. Sky News reported that Ukrainian and Russian officials earlier confirmed an overnight attack on a Russian refinery in the region of Ryazan, which came after Mr Trump called for an "energy ceasefire".
