In his address, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said intelligence services in various countries have information about Russia's plans to widen the war beyond Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this on social media.

“Many intelligence services have information that the Russians want to extend their war and their activity to other states as well, possibly to other regions. That is why we need to build our defences together, why we need to defend ourselves pre-emptively together. And that is exactly why we are talking to our partners about broader sanctions,” the President of Ukraine stressed.

To strengthen defence and cooperation, Ukraine has already concluded 11 Drone Deal agreements with international partners and is preparing a twelfth.

The eleventh was signed this week with Finland in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a Drone Deal covers not only the export or supply of weapons but also the creation of joint defence systems, the sharing of combat experience, joint production and the development of defence technologies.

“This is far more than exporting one weapon or another. It is the creation of joint defence systems and the sharing of the experience that real defenders — our soldiers — have,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President said Ukraine is already preparing a twelfth Drone Deal agreement, due to be signed in the coming weeks with a country he did not name.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately reported on Russian strikes on Ukrainian data centres, infrastructure and communications systems. Russia’s aim, he said, is to leave Ukrainians without internet access, communications and digital services.

“We are countering this promptly. Decisions were taken on this at the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, and clearly defined steps are in place at every stage to protect Ukraine from this threat too,” the President said.

The President thanked all the services and business representatives involved in protecting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.