By Max Hunder and Doina Chiacu
KYIV/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he discussed air defences in a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, and agreed to work on increasing Kyiv’s capability to “defend the sky” as Russian attacks escalate.
He added in a message on Telegram that he discussed joint defence production, as well as joint purchases and investments with the U.S. leader.
Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes.
A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv that the move would weaken its ability to defend against Russia’s airstrikes and battlefield advances. Germany said it is in talks on buying Patriot air defence systems to bridge the gap.
One source briefed on the call told Reuters they were optimistic that supplies of Patriot missiles could resume after what they called a “very good” conversation between the presidents.
U.S. outlet Axios reported, citing unnamed sources, that the call lasted around 40 minutes, and that Trump told Zelenskiy he would check what U.S. weapons due to be sent to Ukraine, if any, had been put on hold.
The conversation came a day after Trump said he had a disappointing call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia pummelled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war across the capital, hours after Trump’s conversation with Putin on Thursday.
Zelenskiy called the attack “deliberately massive and cynical.”
Trump spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, according to Spiegel magazine, citing government sources. The two leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine, including strengthening its air defences, as well as trade issues, Spiegel reported on Friday.
Kyiv had previously received Patriot batteries and ammunition from the U.S. in the form of aid under President Joe Biden.
Trump criticised him for sending weapons to Ukraine without getting anything in return, and since taking office has overseen a dramatic shake-up of relations with Kyiv.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu, Tim Gardner, Max Hunder and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Louise Heavens, Peter Graff, Sharon Singleton and Hugh Lawson)
