Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday that he has agreed with US counterpart Donald Trump to work together on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses. This development comes as concerns mount in Kyiv regarding the continued delivery of US military aid.
“We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies,” Zelensky stated on social media after a phone conversation with Trump. The call, described by Zelensky as “very important and fruitful,” occurred amidst escalating Russian attacks and a controversial pause in US arms shipments to Ukraine.
The discussion between the two leaders reportedly lasted around 40 minutes and also covered defense industry capabilities, the possibilities of joint production, mutual procurement, and investment. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is “ready for direct projects with the United States” and believes this is “critically important for security, especially when it comes to drones and related technologies.”
This phone call followed a conversation Trump had with Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier, which Trump described as “very disappointed.” Hours after the Trump-Putin call on Thursday, Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war, pummeling Kyiv and other cities with over 500 drones and 11 missiles, injuring at least 23 people and causing significant damage. Zelensky called this attack “deliberately massive and cynical.”
Ukraine has been actively requesting more Patriot missiles and systems from Washington, viewing them as crucial for defending its cities against intensifying Russian air strikes. A recent decision by the US to halt some shipments of weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings from Kyiv that such a move would weaken its defensive capabilities and embolden Moscow. Germany has also indicated it is in talks to acquire Patriot air defense systems to help bridge this gap.
