Four and a half years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's top official warns that the conflict is no longer regional. Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, told NewsNation that without a swift peace, the world could be on the brink of a wider war.
Budanov pointed to the presence of North Korean troops in Europe, Russia's support for Iran against the U.S. and Gulf allies, and overlapping conflicts in Africa where Moscow backs opposing sides. "There's a whole range of hostilities happening in various countries of Africa where you see the same players support one or the other side," he said.
Despite global instability, Budanov's focus remains on ending the war at home. In a wide-ranging interview, he addressed the state of the battlefield, the critical U.S.-Ukraine relationship, domestic political stability, and his personal coping mechanisms during wartime. The conversation took place before the latest U.S. delegation traveled to Kyiv, but after CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly visited Moscow.
Budanov called Ratcliffe's trip a "positive thing because you need to always be talking." He welcomed the U.S. push for a trilateral summit, saying Ukraine is ready, but he doubts Russia is. Over the weekend, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, visited both capitals to restart talks. A Ukrainian source familiar with the discussions said they were "productive, some new ideas were discussed, and the goal is to end the war by the winter."
On the war's end, Budanov said he would "love this war to end in a just way so the aggressor would be punished." He acknowledged that any ceasefire would likely reflect the current front lines, meaning Ukraine could lose territory in the Donbas. He expects the U.S., specifically President Trump, to mediate an end to the fighting.
The war remains at a stalemate, Budanov said, noting that "Russia is not getting any strategic advances on the battlefield." Moscow may achieve "certain tactical gains, but we are getting certain tactical gains, too." That, he explained, is why Russia has resorted to "drone and missile terror against civilian populations and against civilian infrastructure."
The toll on civilians is stark. A recent Russian drone strike near a mall killed at least two and wounded 14. Another attack on a Kyiv apartment building killed one and injured seven, including two children. A U.N. report verified at least 16,000 Ukrainian civilian deaths from February 2022 through July 2026, though the actual number is likely higher. Data cited by The New York Times shows Ukrainian civilian deaths far exceed Russian ones.
Ukraine has not retaliated against civilians. "We are not terrorists," Budanov said. "We're only targeting legitimate military targets." Kyiv has struck oil refineries, factories, and warehouses, and recently hit a naval base and oil terminal in Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
A key challenge is defending against Russian ballistic missiles, which are harder to intercept without Patriot systems. Ukraine has asked Washington for more interceptors and discussed licensing the technology. Budanov said, "I'm not saying give that to us as a gift. I'm saying sell to us." He stressed that civilian lives depend on it: "We need those interceptor missiles to protect our women and children, to protect the future of this country."
Related coverage: peace push resumes and Russian strikes follow envoy visits.
