In the aftermath of that confrontation, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said earlier this month that North Korea would likely send its soldiers to Ukraine to fight alongside Russian forces. Ukrainian media reported in early October that North Korean soldiers had been killed after Kiev’s forces bombed Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk.

In his Sunday speech, Zelenskyy reiterated his call for Ukraine’s Western allies to allow Kiev to deploy long-range weapons deeper into Russian territory, saying: “We must act now to prevent Russia and its proxies from adapting to our capabilities .

“When we talk about giving Ukraine greater long-term capabilities and more decisive supplies for our armed forces, it is not just a list of military equipment,” Zelenskyy said in his speech on Sunday. “True peace can only be achieved through strength, and the entire week ahead will be about working with our partners for the sake of that strength, for the sake of true peace.”

This week is a key week for Ukraine and its allies on the EU stage.

European Union foreign ministers will meet in Luxembourg on Monday, where they are expected to discuss Zelensky’s war victory plan. They will also try to unblock EU funding for Ukraine, which Hungary has blocked. Budapest is also blocking plans by the EU, Washington and the G7 to provide Ukraine with a large loan.

EU heads of state and government will then meet in Brussels from next Thursday, with support for Ukraine on the agenda for their European Council summit.