Zelensky holds "good meeting" with Trump, discusses Patriot production licenses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that he had discussed in a “good meeting” with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, at the White House, licenses for the production of Patriot air defense systems, and the reactivation of the diplomatic track with Russia.
The closed-door meeting in the Oval Office came as both Ukraine and Russia intensified their long-range strikes, amid stalled diplomatic efforts led by the United States, more than four years after the start of the Russian invasion.
The meeting lasted approximately one hour.
Zelenskyy wrote on social media platforms afterward, “A good meeting with President Trump,” adding, “The President and I discussed licenses for the production of Patriot interceptor missiles and other ideas that could help” in confronting the Russian invasion that began in early 2022.
He added, “We also spoke about diplomacy, and it is important to reactivate the diplomatic track.” He continued, “I am grateful to the United States for its steadfast support,” affirming that his team and Trump’s team would work on communication arrangements for the coming period.
Relations between Zelenskyy and Trump have improved since the beginning of the US president’s second term, during which Trump offered this month to grant Kyiv licenses to produce Patriot missiles, noting that Ukrainian strikes inside Russia could help end the war.
Upon arriving in the United States, Zelenskyy had affirmed that “our top priority is ballistic missile defense and strategic cooperation with America. We must bring peace closer.”
Last month was the bloodiest for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022, after Russia bombarded Ukrainian cities and towns with hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles, according to the United Nations.
A Ukrainian official had told AFP last month that it was “essential” for Washington to approve the purchase of a package of Patriot missiles, acknowledging that this depended heavily on Trump’s “mood.”
Since returning to power last year, the Republican president has largely halted direct US arms shipments to Kyiv, preferring instead the “PURL” program, which allows Europeans to purchase weapons and then transfer them to Ukraine.
Nevertheless, the United States remains a key ally to Ukraine, providing it particularly with intelligence and access to the “Starlink” system, which ensures military communications along the front lines.
During a previous meeting in Washington in October 2025, Zelenskyy failed to persuade Trump to supply Ukraine with “Tomahawk” missiles.
In another memorable encounter in February 2025, a verbal altercation erupted between the two presidents in front of cameras in the Oval Office, where Trump accused Zelenskyy of ingratitude and of risking a third world war.
However, the US president later changed his stance, and during their last meeting in Turkey in early July, he expressed encouragement for Zelenskyy, stating that he was doing a “great job.”
He also expressed willingness to allow Ukraine to produce “Patriot” air defense missiles, which it lacks in great numbers to counter Russian strikes.
Following his meeting at the White House and participation in the memorial service for Senator Lindsey Graham at the Washington National Cathedral, Zelenskyy is expected later on Tuesday to head to the Capitol building to meet with members of the Senate from both the Republican and Democratic parties.
The Ukrainian president is expected to urge lawmakers to approve a new package of sanctions against Russia, which Graham had been one of its strongest supporters, with reports indicating that Trump has finally given his approval.
Zelensky spoke last week with Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, aiming to “reactivate” diplomacy that had stalled since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East in late February.
Previous American mediation attempts between Moscow and Kyiv yielded no tangible results due to disagreements over the contentious issue of Ukrainian territories claimed by Russia.
In contrast, Moscow-Washington relations have recently warmed, following American initiatives that culminated in a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August 2025.
On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that discussions were underway regarding an airspace ceasefire. He had previously warned in early July that intensifying Ukrainian strikes on Russia would only “prolong” the war.
Over recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian oil refineries and storage facilities, triggering a fuel crisis, while also targeting cargo ships in the Sea of Azov and several warehouses belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s e-commerce giant.
Ukraine launched hundreds of drones toward Russia, including the capital Moscow, hours before the anticipated meeting between Zelensky and Trump.
For its part, Russia continues its intensive bombing campaign, which has disrupted Ukrainian maritime agricultural exports through repeated strikes on the port of Odesa and vessels using it.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched more than 100 drones at Ukraine between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
