Ukraine’s Zelensky says latest phone call with Trump his most productive yet

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his latest conversation with US President Donald Trump this week was the best and “most productive” he has had to date.

“Regarding the conversation with the president of the United States, which took place a day earlier, it was probably the best conversation we have had during this whole time, the most productive,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

“We discussed air defense issues and I’m grateful for the willingness to help. The Patriot system is precisely the key to protection against ballistic threats.”

Zelensky said the two leaders had discussed “several other important matters” that officials from the two sides would be considering in forthcoming meetings.

Trump told reporters on Friday that he had a good call with Zelensky and restated his disappointment at a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin over what he said was Moscow’s lack of willingness to work toward a ceasefire.

Asked whether the United States would agree to supply more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as requested by Zelensky, Trump said: “They’re going to need them for defense… They’re going to need something because they’re being hit pretty hard.”

Russia has intensified air attacks on Kyiv and other cities in recent weeks. Moscow’s forces launched the largest drone attack of the 40-month-old war on the Ukrainian capital hours after Trump’s conversation with Putin on Thursday.