Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed a “good meeting” with United States President Donald Trump at the White House, saying the two leaders discussed plans to produce Patriot air-defence interceptors and ways to revive stalled negotiations with Russia.
Zelensky spent just over an hour with Trump on Tuesday, as Ukraine pressed Washington for stronger protection against Russian missile attacks and fresh diplomatic efforts to end the war.
“Thank you for everything we do together to protect the lives of Ukrainians and advance peace,” Zelensky said in a statement after the meeting.
“The president and I discussed licences for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” he added. “We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.”
The meeting came as Kyiv and Moscow intensified long-range strikes, and US-led attempts to negotiate an end to the conflict remained at an impasse.
Ukraine has repeatedly called for more Patriot systems and interceptor missiles to defend its cities against Russian ballistic attacks, which are difficult to detect and stop.
Last month was the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the United Nations, as Russia stepped up its use of ballistic missiles and other long-range weapons.
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Path towards Patriot production
Relations between Zelensky and Trump have improved significantly since their heated Oval Office confrontation in February 2025, when the US president accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude and of “gambling with World War III”.
The two leaders have since sought to rebuild their relationship, with Trump praising Zelensky during a meeting in Turkey earlier this month for doing “an amazing job”.
Trump also offered Ukraine licences to manufacture Patriot missiles – a proposal that could eventually allow Kyiv to reduce its dependence on limited foreign supplies.
Since returning to power last year, Trump has ended direct US weapons deliveries to Ukraine, instead allowing European governments to purchase American arms for Kyiv.
Washington nevertheless remains one of Ukraine’s most important partners, providing intelligence and access to the Starlink satellite network used for battlefield communications.
Trump has also recently taken a more favourable view of Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, suggesting earlier this month that such attacks could help bring the war to an end.
Senate prepares sanctions vote
Following the White House meeting, Zelensky held talks with US senators before attending an initial procedural vote on a bipartisan bill proposing tougher sanctions against Russia.
The bill has attracted 62 Senate co-sponsors, giving supporters hope that a strong bipartisan vote could accelerate its final passage and increase pressure on the House of Representatives, where the proposal faces greater divisions.
Some Democrats have expressed concern about provisions that would give Trump broader powers to impose tariffs on countries that continue to buy Russian energy.
Supporters argue that the measure would strengthen Washington’s leverage over Moscow at a time when relations between the two countries have cooled following Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last August.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday denied that negotiations on an aerial ceasefire were under way. He also warned that the increasing number of Ukrainian attacks inside Russia would prolong the conflict.
Ukraine has recently stepped up strikes against Russian oil depots, refineries and shipping infrastructure, contributing to fuel shortages in parts of the country.
Hours before Zelensky’s White House meeting, Ukraine launched hundreds of drones towards Russia.
Moscow, meanwhile, fired more than 100 drones at Ukraine overnight and continued its attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa and vessels carrying Ukrainian agricultural exports.
(with newswires)
