Zelensky’s statement follows a recent report by the Wall Street Journal saying that the U.S. has quietly implemented a review process giving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authority to bar Ukrainian long-range strikes inside Russia with American missiles, effectively blocking strikes for months.

An unnamed official told WSJ that the unannounced high-level Defense Department approval process has prevented the use of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) against targets inside Russia since late spring.

At a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Aug. 24, Zelensky said no such restrictions were being discussed, noting that Ukraine strikes targets inside Russia using domestically produced weapons.

“At the moment, we are using our long-range domestically produced weapons, and we haven’t been discussing such matters with the U.S. lately. There was a time when there were different signals regarding our retaliatory strikes after their (Russian) attacks on our energy system,” Zelensky said.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 21 said that Ukraine had “no chance of winning” if not permitted to attack Russia and criticized former U.S. President Joe Biden for not letting Kyiv “fight back, only defend.”

Despite this, Trump has previously stated he disagreed “very vehemently” with the previous White House administration’s decision to permit Ukrainian long-range strikes against Russia with U.S. weapons.

Zelensky had announced that Ukraine plans to begin mass production of its domestically developed long-range Flamingo cruise missile this winter.

Having its own long-range missile capabilities could be a game-changer for Ukraine in its efforts to undermine Russia’s war machine deep behind enemy lines.

Zelensky said that Flamingo had undergone successful tests, describing it as “the most successful” missile Ukraine currently has. The Flamingo missile is capable of flying up to 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles), he claimed.

“By December, we’ll have more of them. And by the end of December or in January–February, mass production should begin,” the president added.

The bloc’s Military Committee Chairman Giuseppe Cavo Dragone stated that NATO has already provided more than $33 billion since January and plans to raise the total to $50 billion by the end of the year.

Asked about the alliance’s stance as Washington and Moscow pursue peace efforts, Dragone said NATO would “continue military assistance and even increase it,” accusing Russia of “stalling” dialogue.

He also expressed hope that Western sanctions, which he described as aimed at “increasing internal tensions” against Russian President Vladimir Putin, would be tightened.

At the same time, Dragone dismissed speculation that NATO could deploy troops to Ukraine, an idea floated by members such as France and the UK.

He stressed that “we have not spoken about this at all in NATO, we have not even mentioned it,” adding that such proposals were “at least premature” and remained “in their infancy.”

His remarks come after a summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which was followed within days by talks between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as other European leaders at the White House.

Trump hailed the meetings as productive, and the White House announced that there was “light at the end of the tunnel.” Moscow has indicated it is open to negotiations and has welcomed Trump’s efforts to resolve the conflict by addressing its root causes.

Russia has repeatedly condemned NATO arms deliveries, arguing they only prolong the conflict. Officials in Moscow have questioned whether Kiev and its European backers are genuinely committed to peace, pointing out that Zelensky has rejected most of Trump’s proposals and continues to insist on reclaiming Crimea and other former Ukrainian territories.

Moscow has also criticized European NATO members for trying to sideline Russia in the negotiations while focusing instead on security guarantees for Kiev, which Russia has branded an illegitimate and “openly neo-Nazi” regime.

Russian officials announced several power and energy facilities were targeted in the overnight strikes. The fire at the nuclear facility was quickly extinguished with no injuries reported, according to the plant’s press service on Telegram. While the attack damaged a transformer, radiation levels remained within normal ranges.

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said it was aware of media reports that a transformer at the plants had caught fire “due to military activity,” but hadn’t received independent confirmation. It added its director-general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said that “every nuclear facility must be protected at all times.”

Ukraine did not immediately comment on the alleged attack.

Firefighters also responded to a blaze at the port of Ust-Luga in Russia’s Leningrad region, home to a major fuel export terminal. The regional governor stated approximately 10 Ukrainian drones were shot down, with debris igniting the fire.

The incidents occurred as Ukraine marked independence day, commemorating its 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union. President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered remarks in a video address from Kyiv’s Independence Square, emphasising the nation’s resolve.

“We are building a Ukraine that will have enough strength and power to live in security and peace,” Zelensky said, calling for a “just peace.”

“What our future will be is up to us alone,” he stated, in a nod to the US–Russia summit in Alaska earlier in August, which many feared would leave Ukrainian and European interests side-lined.

“And the world knows this. And the world respects this. It respects Ukraine. It perceives Ukraine as an equal,” he added.