Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky visits a drone command center in the Donetsk region in the east of the country, November 4, 2025
Ukraine President Voldoymyr Zelensky visited troops in the frontline Pokrovsk area in the Donetsk region, in the east of the country, on Tuesday.
Trying to overrun Pokrovsk since July 2024, Russian forces are now inside the devastated city where fighting continues. Ukrainian forces have pushed back the invaders near Dobropillia.
Zelensky met soldiers of the 1st Corps of the Ukrainian National Guard at a command post in the Dobropillia sector, and visited the command of the 414th Brigade, overseeing Ukraine’s drone operations. He held discussions on UAVs, domestic drone production, and measures to return servicemembers to duty.
In his nightly address to the nation, recorded in Donetsk, the President said:
The Russian army has once again been forced to push back the deadlines it had drawn up for itself for capturing Pokrovsk and Dobropillia. And every Russian loss contributes to our ability to defend our state, our people, our independence.
The Russian army has once again been forced to push back the deadlines it had drawn up for itself for capturing Pokrovsk and Dobropillia. And every Russian loss contributes to our ability to defend our state, our people, our independence.
It is symbolic that today we have the… pic.twitter.com/VRBEvDGv4D
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 4, 2025
Zelensky also spoke of “the most positive European Commission report in three years” about Ukraine’s campaign for accession to the European Union.
The Commission praised Ukraine’s “remarkable commitment” to its bid for EU membership despite Russia’s full-scale invasion. It said Kyiv has met the conditions to open three out of the six required EU accession clusters — fundamentals, external relations, and internal market — and expects the other three to be opened by the end of 2025.
However, the report cautions that Kyiv must urgently reverse the erosion of its fight against corruption, and that it must accelerate reforms of the rule of law.
Zelensky commented:
This gives Ukrainians even more motivation as Europe recognizes our joint efforts. Ukraine is doing everything to gain EU membership. Even in wartime, even amid the toughest battles, our state keeps moving forward in the membership talks….
It is crucial that our results are met with proper support in Europe – that the EU fulfills its commitments.
