Zelensky pushes air defence progress in productive meeting with US envoy
Zelensky Meets U.S. Envoy as Russia Intensifies Drone Attacks
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv on Monday to discuss Ukraine’s air defense and new sanctions on Russia.
Key Points of the Meeting
- Zelensky urged “fresh sanctions” on Russia and on any nation that aids its war effort.
- He highlighted the need for “strengthened air defense” and joint production of defense weapons with Europe.
- The discussion focused on practical steps to move toward a peaceful resolution.
U.S. Supply of Patriot Batteries
Just one day after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would supply Ukraine with new Patriot air‑defense batteries, Kellogg arrived in Kyiv.
Trump said Washington would also provide more Patriot batteries but clarified that the United States would not pay for them. One Ukrainian soldier, call sign Grizzly, welcomed the announcement:
“Better late than never,” he told AFP. “Because while we are here defending the front line, our families are unprotected. Thanks to the Patriots, our families will be safer.”
Russia’s Drone Campaign and Territory Claims
- Russian forces launched 136 drones and four missiles at Ukraine on Monday.
- They claimed new territory in eastern Ukraine by capturing two villages—one in the Donetsk region and another in the Zaporizhzhia region.
- The attack also killed at least three civilians in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
U.S. and NATO Leadership Engagement
Trump will meet with NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington later Monday and has promised a “major statement” on the war.
Washington’s pause on some arms deliveries to Kyiv is now being reversed, reflecting the U.S. leadership’s stance on confronting Moscow.
