Zelenskyy says will work with Trump to ‘strengthen’ Ukraine air defences

US and Ukrainian leaders sermon defence capabilities connected telephone aft Trump ‘disappointed’ by speech with Russia’s Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says helium agreed with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to enactment to fortify Ukraine’s aerial defences, arsenic concerns mounted successful Kyiv implicit US subject assistance deliveries.

The 2 leaders had a “very important and fruitful conversation” by telephone connected Friday, Zelenskyy said.

“We spoke astir opportunities successful aerial defence and agreed that we volition enactment unneurotic to fortify extortion of our skies,” helium added successful a station connected the societal media level X.

The president added that helium discussed associated defence production, arsenic good arsenic associated purchases and investments, with the US leader.

Meanwhile, US work Axios, citing an unidentified Ukrainian authoritative and a root with cognition of the call, said Trump told Zelenskyy helium wants to assistance Ukraine with aerial defence aft escalating attacks from Russia.

This comes a time aft the US president spoke to Russia’s Vladimir Putin, successful a speech helium said was disappointing.

“I’m precise disappointed with the speech I had contiguous with President Putin, due to the fact that I don’t deliberation he’s there, and I’m precise disappointed,” Trump said aft the telephone connected Thursday. “I’m conscionable saying I don’t deliberation he’s looking to stop, and that’s excessively bad.”

Trump said the telephone with Putin resulted successful nary advancement astatine each connected efforts to extremity the war, and the Kremlin reiterated that Moscow would support pushing to lick the conflict’s “root causes”.

Massive drone attack

Hours aft the Trump-Putin telephone connected Thursday, Russia pummelled Kyiv with the largest drone onslaught of the war, sidesplitting 1 person, injuring astatine slightest 23 and damaging buildings crossed the capital.

Air raid sirens, the whine of kamikaze drones and booming detonations reverberated from aboriginal evening until dawn arsenic Russia launched what Ukraine’s Air Force said was a full of 539 drones and 11 missiles.

Zelenskyy called the onslaught “deliberately monolithic and cynical”.

Ukraine has been asking Washington to merchantability it much Patriot missiles and systems that it sees arsenic cardinal to defending its cities from intensifying Russian aerial strikes.

A determination by Washington to halt immoderate shipments of weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv that the determination would weaken its quality to support against Russia’s aerial strikes and battlefield advances. Germany said it is successful talks connected buying Patriot aerial defence systems to span the gap.

Trump spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz connected Thursday, according to Spiegel magazine, citing authorities sources. The 2 leaders discussed the concern successful Ukraine, including strengthening its aerial defence, arsenic good arsenic commercialized issues, Spiegel reported connected Friday.

In Zelenskyy’s station connected X connected Friday aft his telephone with Trump, helium said the 2 had “a elaborate speech astir defence manufacture capabilities and associated production. We are acceptable for nonstop projects with the United States and judge this is critically important for security, particularly erstwhile it comes to drones and related technologies.”

Zelenskyy besides said Ukrainians are “grateful for each the enactment provided”, arsenic it helps support lives and safeguard their independence.

“We enactment each efforts to halt the killings and reconstruct just, lasting, and dignified peace. A noble statement for bid is needed,” helium said.