In his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged countries to increase pressure on Russia nearly five years into its full-scale war against Ukraine. He called on states to restrict Russia’s financial capacity to continue the conflict ahead of winter, and warned that the conflict’s impacts are spreading beyond their borders.

His remarks highlight Ukraine’s reliance on military pressure when it cannot depend on the international system to enforce international norms. Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits states from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. While Russia’s status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) allows it to veto substantive resolutions, Zelenskyy urged countries to enforce existing sanctions to support Ukrainian efforts to deny Russian President Vladimir Putin the freedom to sustain the war.

But the Ukrainian president stressed that sanctions are not enough. In last year’s remarks, Zelenskyy said that weapons, “not international law, not cooperation” decide who survives. He reiterated this week that “if a nation wants peace, it must work on strong weapons.”

Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure are aimed at reducing Moscow’s ability to finance the war. They are enabled by advancements in Ukraine’s long-range drone technology and have been called “long-ranged sanctions” by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The International Energy Agency reports that Russian refinery throughput fell by roughly 30 percent and gasoline output by about 20 percent compared to last year.

Joint weapons production, Zelenskyy added, is turning the war into an opportunity for security cooperation. He highlighted the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile program involving ten European countries, presented as a complement to existing Patriot and SAMP/T systems and potentially a scalable shield against ballistic threats. He framed Ukraine’s drone agreements—recently signed with Finland and under discussion with the US, Canada, and others—as contributions to “peace through cooperation” by helping its partners build modern, integrated defense systems against drones.

The Ukrainian president also warned that the impact of the war is spreading beyond Ukraine. North Korean troops have been deployed to support Russia; in return, Zelenskyy argued, the military partnership is accelerating North Korea’s ballistic missile and drone programs, while providing valuable combat experience. The relationship expands Russia’s military resources and could strengthen North Korea’s ability to project force.

He also alleged that Russia is using nationals of 47 other countries to fight its war. Addressing their governments, Zelenskyy warned: “Do not let Putin drag you into his war.”

Zelenskyy underlined the need for de-escalation before winter. In past years, Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have left Ukrainians without heat; Ukraine, he said, is prepared to make Russia’s winter painful too. He called on China and other influential states to use their leverage: “Limit his room to act. Limit his money. Limit his war.”