U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed efforts to revive peace talks with Russia and the possibility of allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles, before attending the funeral of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Kyiv.
اضافة اعلان
Zelensky held a private meeting with Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday, with no journalists present, ahead of Graham's memorial service later that afternoon.
He also met Finnish President Alexander Stubb at a hotel in Washington and held talks with members of the U.S. Senate at the Capitol.
The brief visit provided Zelensky with an opportunity to strengthen military support at a time when relations between the United States and Ukraine have become warmer than they have been in months.
However, Washington is still withholding some military assistance to Ukraine, which has also lost one of its most influential advocates in Washington following Graham's death.
Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said he emphasized to Trump and U.S. senators that Ukraine urgently needs systems and missiles capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.
He also welcomed new U.S. legislation moving forward with broad sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector.
Zelensky said Ukraine possesses drones capable of destroying Iranian- and Russian-made drones but requires additional weapons to defend against the ballistic missiles launched by Moscow.
"The real issue is anti-ballistic missile systems and interceptor missiles. Of course, I presented what we need," Zelensky told reporters after meeting senators at the Capitol.
In a post on Telegram, Zelensky described his meeting with Trump as "a good meeting," saying they discussed Trump's pledge at the recent NATO summit to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles domestically.
As Russia has intensified its air attacks, Ukraine's supply of Patriot missiles the only system currently capable of intercepting ballistic missiles has declined sharply.
Later, in an interview with Fox News, Zelensky said Trump "agreed to grant us licenses" to produce the interceptor missiles.
"We also discussed diplomacy. It is important to intensify the diplomatic process," Zelensky added, referring to stalled negotiations with Russia aimed at ending the war, now in its fifth year.
Two sources familiar with the discussions said U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, have agreed to visit Ukraine for the first time as part of efforts to revive their mediation between Kyiv and Moscow.
Both men have traveled to Russia several times and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
Last week, Zelensky said he had spoken with both envoys about the possibility of restarting negotiations, although one source said no date has yet been set for the visit.
Separately, Zelensky said he also met with officials from Lockheed Martin, the world's largest defense contractor and one of the manufacturers of Patriot interceptor missiles.
He added that working teams are already developing solutions "to move to joint production as quickly as possible."
Improving Relations
The Ukrainian leader spent about an hour with U.S. senators following Graham's funeral before entering the Senate chamber to observe a key vote on a bipartisan sanctions package targeting Russia.
Graham had been one of the strongest advocates of the legislation, which Trump endorsed just days before the senator's death.
"Sanctions pressure on Russia is extremely important," Zelensky said, adding that the legislation would further restrict Russia's ability to finance the war while sending a strong signal of U.S. support for the Ukrainian people.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters:
"With this vote, we will show Putin that he cannot bully Ukraine. The United States stands with Ukraine... We will support Ukraine, and it will prevail and defeat Putin."
The visit comes as a Pentagon letter to lawmakers revealed that the Trump administration informed Congress it does not expect to complete spending the $400 million in approved aid for Ukraine until fiscal year 2029.
Democrats and some Republicans have criticized the Pentagon for delaying the delivery of assistance that received bipartisan congressional approval last year.
Relations between Zelensky and Trump were marked by repeated clashes at the beginning of Trump's second term but have improved in recent months as Ukraine has achieved greater success on the battlefield, including intensifying attacks on Russia's oil sector.
Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina, died suddenly from a medical condition on July 11 at the age of 71. He was one of Trump's closest allies, a leading advocate of an assertive U.S. role in global affairs, and a strong supporter of Ukraine.
Graham met with Zelensky in Kyiv just one day before his death, marking his tenth visit to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
