By Kateryna Polyak
What would it be like if missiles and drones became part of everyday life? If your school was interrupted by attacks, or if your family had to worry about whether there would be electricity or heat during the winter? For millions of Ukrainians, these are not “what if” questions. This has been part of everyday life for more than four years.
On September 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. His message was directed toward world leaders: the war in Ukraine is still happening, and the international community needs to continue putting pressure on Russia while helping Ukraine defend itself.
Before continuing, let’s go over what has been happening since 2022: Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while the initial conflict started in February 2014. Since the full-scale invasion, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed or injured, millions have been forced from their homes, and entire cities and towns have suffered major destruction. Places such as Mariupol, Bakhmut and Avdiivka have seen enormous damage, while cities including Kharkiv and Kherson continue to face Russian attacks. The situation is especially severe in some occupied areas like Oleshky, a town in the Kherson region. Around 2,000 people, including about 50 children, are reportedly still living with severe shortages of food, water, electricity and medicine. The town has been largely cut off from outside help for months; there is a low chance of getting into the town, not to mention getting out. Ground deliveries have been blocked, and even attempts to bring supplies by drone have faced Russian attacks and interference. Ukrainian officials say residents who receive aid can also face detention or violence. Some people have tried to escape on foot despite mines and drone attacks because, for them, staying has become even more dangerous.
The war has also affected countries far beyond Ukraine. Ukraine is a major agricultural exporter, while Russia is a major energy producer, so disruptions to farming, shipping, and energy supplies have affected food and energy markets around the world. European countries have also taken in millions of Ukrainians who fled the war and have had to rethink their own security as fighting continues. Zelenskyy talked about the number of missiles and drones Russia has used against Ukraine. He said that since the beginning of 2026, Russia has launched more than 2,100 missiles, including more than 950 ballistic missiles. He also said Russia has used around 63,000 attack drones during the first eight months of the year. The attacks targeted cities, infrastructure and energy systems, making everyday life more difficult and disrupting children’s education.
“Would your country survive if, God forbid, you had to face something like this?” he asked. “Ukraine has.”
Another major part of the speech focused on Russia’s economy. Zelenskyy argued that Russia needs money to continue fighting, so limiting the money flowing into the country can make it harder for Russia to continue the war. “Russia’s revenues must remain a target,” he said, and then called on countries to continue sanctions and limit trade that helps Russia earn money, because when countries give Russia more money through trade, they also give the Russian government more resources to continue the war. As mentioned before, this issue reaches beyond Ukraine: the war has affected energy markets, food supplies, and economies around the world.
The President of Ukraine talked about the growing international side of the war. In the speech, he stated that Russia is using citizens from 47 countries in its military efforts and mentioned countries including Ghana, Nepal, India, Kenya, Cuba, Belarus, Sudan, and South Africa. He urged those countries to pay attention to what is happening to their citizens and warned them not to allow Russia to pull more people into the conflict. Zelenskyy also spoke about North Korea’s support for Russia. He argued that military cooperation between countries such as Russia and North Korea could lead to new weapons and military technology being developed and used in future conflicts. In other words, his concern is that the longer the war continues, the more opportunities there are for military technology, weapons, and partnerships to spread.
For people living in the United States, it can sometimes feel like the war in Ukraine is happening very far away, since it is easy to read another headline about missiles or territory and then move on with your day, but unfortunately the effects of the war do not stop at Ukraine’s borders. The conflict has changed European security, affected energy and food markets, increased military cooperation between countries, and pushed countries to invest more heavily in drones, missile defense, and other military technologies.
For Ukrainians, though, the war is not about statistics or international politics; it is about families being separated, children trying to continue school while their country is under attack, people losing homes, communities and loved ones, and it is about millions of people who have had to completely change their lives because of a war they did not choose. That is what the Ukrainian President tried to remind the world of at the UN. The speech was not simply a request for more weapons or sanctions; it was a warning about what can happen when a war is allowed to continue and spread. Zelenskyy ended by asking countries not to wait until they are directly threatened before taking action. “Do not be the last to join those who defend life,” he said. “Be the first to say: ‘We guarantee security.’” For Ukraine, that message is not about some distant future, but about what is happening right now.