Zelensky Urges Allies to Act for ‘Regime Change’ in Russia After Deadly Kyiv Attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday issued a stark call for the world to actively pursue “regime change” in Russia, arguing that failure to do so would allow Moscow to continue destabilizing neighboring countries even after the war in Ukraine concludes. His provocative remarks came hours after a devastating Russian drone and missile barrage killed at least seven people, including a six-year-old boy, in Kyiv.

Speaking virtually to a conference in Helsinki marking the 50th anniversary of the Cold War-era Helsinki Accords, President Zelensky left no ambiguity about his stance on Russia’s current leadership. “I believe Russia can be pushed to stop this war. It started it, and it can be made to end it,” Zelensky told the attendees. “But if the world doesn’t aim to change the regime in Russia, that means even after the war ends, Moscow will still try to destabilise neighbouring countries.”

The Ukrainian leader’s forceful statement was delivered against the grim backdrop of renewed Russian aggression. Between late Wednesday and early Thursday, Ukraine’s air force reported over 300 drones and eight cruise missiles launched at the country, with Kyiv being the primary target. One missile tore through a nine-storey residential building in western Kyiv, causing significant casualties and destruction.

Zelensky accused Russia’s leadership of being “mentally stuck in another century, a time of brutal violence… [and] total disregard for human rights and equality.” He asserted that the “total rejection of the post-second world war world” forms the foundation of the current Russian regime.

In addition to calling for a shift in Russia’s leadership, President Zelensky also reiterated his demand for the full confiscation of frozen Russian assets. “We need to fully block Russia’s war machine, put every frozen Russian asset, including the stolen wealth of corruption, to work defending against Russian aggression,” he urged, advocating to “confiscate them and use them to serve peace, not war.”

The call for “regime change” represents a significant escalation in Ukraine’s diplomatic rhetoric. Western allies, including the United States and European Union nations, have historically avoided such direct language, typically stating that the future of Russia’s leadership is an internal matter for the Russian people. Zelensky’s remarks are likely to intensify diplomatic discussions and potentially put pressure on allies to clarify their long-term strategic goals regarding Moscow.

The statement also coincides with ongoing fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, where Russia claimed to have captured the strategically important town of Chasiv Yar (a claim rejected by Ukraine). Meanwhile, days earlier, US President Donald Trump had issued a 10-day ultimatum for Moscow to halt its invasion or face further sanctions, highlighting the complex and high-stakes international efforts to bring an end to the nearly three-and-a-half-year-old conflict.