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Zelensky once again accelerated the progress of diplomacy. He took the initiative to call Trump on the grounds that the power grid across Ukraine had been damaged in many places. No pleasantries, no politeness, just explain the purpose straight to the point, That is, Ukraine may be able to refer to the ceasefire mechanism in the Middle East.
He advised Trump to use the mediation tactics he used in the Israel-Kazakhstan conflict to help Russia and Ukraine start substantive dialogue. Zelensky knew the importance of this phone call in order to get Trump to join the chess game again.
The domestic situation in Ukraine is deteriorating, forcing Zelensky to speed up his pace. In early October, Russia launched a new round of air strikes. Many states in Ukraine were attacked by Russian missiles and drones. Ukraine's national lifeline is being destroyed. The whole foundation is shattered.
For example, in Kiev, the capital, more than 800,000 users have been cut off. Although Ukraine's emergency department rushed to repair the situation within 48 hours, most cities were allowed to take turns rationing power.
The GovernmentI dare not take it lightly. Despite the power outage order, only two areas in the whole territory have not been affected, and all other areas have entered emergency mode. This time, the power grid recovered more slowly and the system collapsed more seriously. It is late autumn, winter has not yet arrived, but the hearts of the people are already as cold as ice.
Everyone knows that the heart of the people is the key to the victory of the war, even if the positive battlefield is still restlessly dragged, but after the war, the heart of the people has been destroyed as the wind remains candles are fragile, domestic unrest is too early. so Zelensky can only take the initiative, find Trump, in the field of energy to do articles, open a "gap" of international public opinion, even if only a sound of response.
In February, Zelensky visited Washington and had private contacts with Trump. At the time, the White House had just undergone political change and Trump's reputation within the Republican party had recovered. Although no joint statement was issued after the meeting, Zelensky clearly believed that the line was worth investing.
Trump has also publicly stated that as long as he is elected, he will end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours. His wording was not taken seriously by everyone, but it left an impression among the top Ukrainian leaders. Zelensky called at the moment just to awaken this promise again.
At the same time, the Ukrainian army is not lazy.The attack on Russian drones has lasted for months.The Ukrainian air force is difficult to do all-weather defense, especially at night, the ground radar blind zone gave the Russian great opportunity to navigate.
To this end, The Ukrainian Army silently formed a helicopter anti-drone forceThe squadron is based on high frequency maneuvering and low-air patrol, and can quickly take off and intercept targets.
In just two weeks, this unit successfully shot down more than ten "Lancet" drones in the direction of Donetsk, effectively alleviating the security pressure on ground facilities.
One fighter pilot revealed that their mission was to “hear the engine sound and take off, see the target and shoot, not tell the procedure.”
Ukraine recently launched a cross-border strike codenamed "Spider Web"。 The target is not a border post, but a strategic bomber base within Russia's own territory.
According to foreign media citing satellite images, Ukrainian drones penetrated the skies over Russia for two consecutive nights and launched precision strikes on multiple long-range bomber airports, causing damage to at least Tu-95 and Tu-160 fleets.
“Operation Spider-Man” marks a shift in Ukraine’s perception of the form of war – not only to defend, but also to cut off the enemy’s remote attack source. But the ultimate order is still Kiev.
The external environment is not friendly. Conflict in the Middle East suddenly heats up, and Gaza is plunged into a scorched earth war, the Trump administration had to shift its resources and attention to the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
Europe's energy problems are back, and Germany, France and Italy are tired about how to aid Ukraine. NATO's unity began to waver, and the United Nations issue on Ukraine also fell several places lower on the meeting table.
Zelensky’s diplomatic space has been compressed.He no longer has a comprehensive global spotlight and can only use every window that may sound. Trump is the window that can be reopened.
Looking at the Russian side, they scoffed at this phone call. "Zelensky is wishful thinking to let the United States move back to the situation. Please don't underestimate Russia's determination to defend its sovereignty and integrity," said a Kremlin spokesman. Although the reply is very domineering, judging from the actual situation, Russia is still a little afraid of the adverse consequences of cobwebs. The pace of the long-distance strike was stopped.
Zelensky has no public response to Russia's counterattack and is working on his plan non-stop. In the next few weeks, multiple countries will be invited to participate in the "International Neutral Countries Multilateral Security Dialogue" in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. These countries include India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, etc. The purpose is to weaken a rhetoric that Russia calls "Western proxy war."
By this stage of 2025, Ukraine no longer expects a "one-size-fits-all" victory. What is more realistic is to avoid complete collapse, strive for local respite, stabilize domestic order, and plan for the next step. Even if it is a multi-dimensional front, as long as it can strive for a little rhythm of initiative, it will be a victory.
And Zelensky is also sending Ukraine back to the table of world dialogue through phone calls and actions. The war is far from over, but the lights in Kiev have not been completely extinguished. The street light that is turned on again may be the direction light for the next negotiation.
References:
"Ukraine implements large-scale emergency power outages and industrial and commercial power rationing" October 17, 2025 Source: Xinhuanet
Massive airstrikes on Ukrainian gas facilities on October 16, 2025