(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had discussed improved air defences and intensified sanctions against Russia with two U.S. lawmakers who are backing a bill to impose tougher punitive measures against Moscow.
Zelenskiy, writing early on Friday on Telegram, said he had met Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut in Rome in conjunction with international meetings on Ukraine.
“Right now, our priority is strengthening air defences. Russia wants to move on to using 1,000 drones in the space of a single attack,” Zelenskiy wrote.
“It is therefore important to boost defences, particularly to invest in interceptor drones. We spoke about continuing supplies from the United States and joint weapons production.”
Ukraine, he said, was ready to work together with Europe to buy “large U.S. Defence packages to protect lives”.
On Thursday, Zelenskiy said Ukraine had received all necessary political signals for U.S. military aid to resume after a pause last week.
He also said that Ukraine had reached agreement with Germany for Berlin to buy two Patriot missile interceptor systems and an accord for Norway to pay for one system.
Russia has been intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, with Zelenskiy saying Moscow had deployed around 400 drones and 18 missiles on Wednesday night, primarily targeting the capital. The previous night, Russian forces launched a record 728 drones at Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had approved sending U.S. defensive weapons to Ukraine and was considering additional sanctions on Moscow, underscoring his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the failure to make progress on solving Russia’s war with Ukraine.
Zelenskiy discussed U.S. weapons supplies in Rome on Wednesday with Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg.
In his comments on Telegram, Zelenskiy said that, together with Graham and Blumenthal, he had discussed the legislation on tougher sanctions against Russia “and those who support it in the war”.
“Undoubtedly, this is precisely the lever that can bring peace closer and make diplomacy worthwhile,” he wrote.
The bill calls for a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
