Summary: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News that Russia "has lost the initiative" as Ukraine’s domestic mil‑tech sector — about 500 companies — reshapes the battlefield. He described the conflict as an "innovation race" that demands rapid adaptation, pointed to deeper strike capabilities against Russia, and said Moscow is suffering heavy losses. Zelenskyy reiterated Kyiv’s calls for ceasefires to enable diplomacy, praised late Senator Lindsey Graham’s support, and noted U.S. agreements to license Patriot missile assembly in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy: Putin 'Has Lost the Initiative' as Ukraine's Mil‑Tech Boom Reshapes the War
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko walking
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News in a Tuesday interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "lost the initiative" in the war, arguing that Kyiv's rapid expansion of domestic military-technology capabilities has altered the battlefield balance.
Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity after attending the funeral of the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Zelenskyy reflected on Graham's longstanding support for Ukraine and discussed the current state of the war and the prospects for negotiations.
Mil‑Tech Growth and an Innovation Race
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko visit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 15, 2026.
"Since the beginning of the war, when Putin said that he will occupy us during two, three days, now we build a great mil‑tech industry," Zelenskyy said, noting that Ukraine now counts roughly 500 companies developing advanced technologies for defense and combat applications. He described the conflict as an "innovation race," where tactics and hardware — including drones — become obsolete unless continuously improved.
"We understand that this war is changing each three, six months. We have to change technologies," Zelenskyy said. "We have to be quicker than Putin because Putin has more people… and we have to save our people and use more technologies than [their] people."
Zelenskyy pointed to Ukraine’s growing capacity to strike targets deep inside Russia, citing large drone operations near Moscow and attacks that briefly disrupted the power grid in Russian‑occupied Crimea. He said these expanding capabilities have shifted momentum away from Moscow.
Casualty Figures, Diplomacy, and Ceasefire Appeals
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said he thinks the war with Ukraine could end soon.
Zelenskyy said, as part of his assessment, that "Putin is losing 30,000 soldiers per month," a figure he presented to underline Russia’s heavy losses. He added that despite those losses Moscow has so far refused to stop the campaign. "There's many losses, but he doesn't want to stop this war. So now initiative [is] not in the hands of Putin," Zelenskyy said.
On diplomacy, Zelenskyy said Kyiv repeatedly seeks temporary ceasefires to open space for negotiations, but asserted that Putin has been unwilling to engage; the two leaders last spoke in 2020. "We are asking to stop this war each day... to negotiate [a] ceasefire for some period of time and give possibility for diplomats to negotiate," he said.
Tribute To Lindsey Graham And U.S. Support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Graham had visited Ukraine 10 times since the full-scale Russian invasion.
The interview also paid tribute to Senator Lindsey Graham, whom Zelenskyy described as one of Ukraine's earliest and most consistent supporters. Zelenskyy said Graham visited Ukraine about ten times since the full‑scale invasion, including trips near the front lines, and praised his deep knowledge of the battlefield and local communities.
Zelenskyy also welcomed recent U.S. actions: he praised the Senate's 86–12 passage of The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia And Iran Act of 2026, which would impose broad sanctions on individuals and institutions backing Russia’s war effort. Earlier the same day, Zelenskyy met President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss expanding defense cooperation; Zelenskyy said Trump agreed to grant licenses allowing Ukraine to assemble U.S.-designed Patriot missiles domestically.
On The Ground And In Kyiv
Ukraine’s leadership continues high‑profile domestic engagements, including visits by President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to sites such as the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was struck during Russian missile and drone attacks in June 2026. These visits underscore Kyiv’s efforts to maintain morale and public resilience amid ongoing hostilities.
Note: Casualty figures and some operational claims quoted in this interview are those made by President Zelenskyy.
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