Zelensky presses Trump for Patriot interceptors as Russian ballistic missile strikes kill record numbers of Ukrainian civilians

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday in a bid to secure American approval for the purchase or licensed production of Patriot air-defence interceptors, a weapon Kyiv describes as its "absolute priority" for defending against a mounting wave of Russian ballistic missile attacks.

A warmer Oval Office

The encounter contrasted sharply with their last Oval Office meeting in February 2025, when Trump berated Zelensky and accused him of ingratitude, telling him, "You don't have the cards" in the war against Russia. A year and a half later, the relationship appears to have shifted. During their previous conversation in Turkey at the start of July, Trump said Zelensky was doing "a formidable job." The Ukrainian leader was also in Washington to attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch backer of Ukraine and close Trump ally who died on 11 July. The New York Times reported that some analysts believe Graham's death could push Trump toward a more pro-Ukraine stance, while others noted a recent visit to Ukraine by far-right MAGA activist Laura Loomer, who has recently voiced support for the country.

What was on the table

The closed-door session lasted nearly an hour. Afterwards, Zelensky called it "a good meeting" and said the two had discussed "licences for the production" of Patriot interceptors by Ukraine. He added that they also talked about diplomacy.

It is essential to restart the diplomatic process.

Trump did not comment publicly by late afternoon. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, cautioned that "much will depend on President Trump's mood."

Ballistic missile barrage

June was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the UN, as Russia intensified ballistic missile strikes against towns and cities. Only American Patriot systems can shoot down these missiles, but Ukraine is critically short of PAC-3 interceptors. The shortage deepened after the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in February. In July alone, Moscow fired 120 high-velocity ballistic and anti-ship missiles at Ukraine, of which only 35 were intercepted.

Moscow's next move

A senior Ukrainian official told AFP that Russia intends to further escalate by deploying additional ballistic missile launchers near the Ukrainian border and expects new deliveries of such weapons from North Korea in August. The supply squeeze on interceptors and the expected influx of North Korean launchers form the backdrop to Zelensky's urgent request in Washington.

Netanyahu follows Zelensky

After the Zelensky talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the White House for his own first meeting with Trump since the Middle Eastern war began. The discussions were expected to centre on Iran, with Netanyahu saying beforehand that their goal was "to guarantee our security, but also to widen the circle of peace around us." The meeting comes after two weeks of unprecedented bombardment since the April ceasefire. Israel, which joined the US in launching the 28 February offensive on Tehran that triggered the regional war, did not take part in the most recent wave of clashes.