Ukraine’s foreign minister urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to accelerate deliveries of air defense interceptors as Russia increases attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Kyiv says Moscow is trying to break the country’s morale during the winter months.

Andrii Sybiha spoke with Reuters after meeting Rubio on Tuesday on the sidelines of a Group of Seven foreign ministers’ gathering in Paris. He pressed Washington to maintain pressure on Moscow while diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war continued in Abu Dhabi.

“We should work on the peace track, but in parallel we should continue to pressure Russia,” Sybiha said in an interview.

The foreign minister requested additional support for Ukraine’s damaged energy grid and more air defense interceptors. He also confirmed that United States intelligence sharing and military assistance through the Priority Ukraine Requirements List program remained in place.

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“I raised the issue of how we could speed up some supply, how we could find a proper way to maybe front-load something, and how we could try to find additional quantities,” he said.

Kyiv is seeking assurances that Western military backing will continue while it supports diplomatic efforts intended to explore limited confidence building measures with Moscow. Those parallel tracks place immediate military needs beside negotiations over possible steps to reduce the fighting.

Ukrainian and Russian officials are participating in United States mediated talks in Abu Dhabi. Sybiha presented Ukraine as serious about the process and willing to pursue opportunities that could move the negotiations forward.

“Ukraine has serious intentions … We try to use any opportunity to speed up peace efforts and to make peace closer,” he said.

Sybiha said Ukraine remained ready to discuss several deescalatory measures. Those possibilities include ceasefires covering the Black Sea and energy infrastructure, two areas that have become part of the broader diplomatic effort.

According to Sybiha, proposals for a Black Sea ceasefire were delivered to Russia through intermediaries, including Turkey, Egypt and India. However, he said he was “not so optimistic” about achieving progress and was still waiting for Moscow to respond.

The foreign minister repeated Kyiv’s accusation that Russia is deliberately striking civilian infrastructure before winter. “[Russian President Vladimir Putin] tries to break our spirit during the winter,” he said.

Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians in the war, which is now well into its fifth year. Sybiha’s appeal for faster interceptor deliveries comes as Ukraine deals with both the military pressure and the consequences of damage to its power system.

The Paris meeting brought together foreign ministers from the Group of Seven. The group comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, with the European Union also participating.

Sybiha said the financial cost of the war would increase significantly in 2027. He expressed hope that Kyiv could obtain longer term financial commitments from its partners by the end of the year.

“We need macrostability,” he said. “For domestic purposes, it keeps the spirit of our people strong when they understand that at least for one to two years we have long-term commitments.”

Sybiha also described the personal effect of the energy crisis on his family in Kyiv, including his three children. Like most Ukrainians, he said, they often receive only a few hours of electricity each day.

“It means no heating, no water, no sanitation, so it’s a big challenge for us,” he added. His account highlighted the daily conditions behind Kyiv’s request for more grid support and additional air defense interceptors from Washington.

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