Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he spoke about air defenses with US President Donald Trump, agreeing to enhance Kyiv’s capability to “defend the sky” amid escalating Russian attacks.
In his Telegram account, he noted that they also discussed joint defense production, along with collaborative purchases and investments with the US leader.
Ukraine has been urging Washington to provide additional Patriot missiles and systems, which it considers vital for protecting its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes.
A decision by the US to pause certain weapon shipments to Ukraine has led to warnings from Kyiv, asserting that this could diminish its ability to defend against Russian airstrikes and advances on the battlefield.
This conversation occurred a day after Mr. Trump mentioned having a disappointing call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following Mr. Trump’s conversation with Mr. Putin yesterday, Russia launched the largest drone attack of the war on Kyiv, targeting the capital.
Mr. Zelensky described the assault as “deliberately massive and cynical.”
Germany’s Merz spoke with Trump regarding the purchase of Patriots for Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a phone conversation with Mr. Trump yesterday to discuss his country’s offer to acquire Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, according to a government spokesperson.
Mr. Merz initiated the call to advocate for arms deliveries to Ukraine, specifically Patriots, after the Pentagon stopped some shipments, the spokesperson informed Reuters.
Spiegel magazine was the first to report on the phone call.
Germany is in “intensive talks” to purchase Patriots to help Ukraine withstand some of the most severe Russian attacks since the conflict began in 2022, the spokesperson stated earlier in a press conference.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed his country’s offer to buy Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine.
“There are various ways to address this Patriot gap,” the spokesperson remarked to reporters, indicating that one option includes purchasing the Patriot missile batteries in the US and then sending them to Kyiv.
According to sources, the US has paused shipments of certain critical weapons to Ukraine, including 30 Patriot air defense missiles, due to low stockpiles. This decision has raised alarms in Kyiv regarding its defensive capabilities.
Germany has already sent three of the US-made systems from its military stockpiles to Ukraine, and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius launched an initiative last month to procure more at the Ramstein gathering of around 50 nations.
Mr. Pistorius plans to visit Washington later this month for discussions with his US counterpart about this initiative and production capacities, as stated by a defense ministry spokesperson.
“Naturally, these topics will also be part of the agenda,” added the spokesperson.
The US Embassy in Berlin was unavailable for immediate comment.
Mr. Pistorius has proposed the idea of securing Patriot systems that could be unlocked to bypass lengthy delivery timelines, ensuring rapid arrival in Ukraine.
Germany, Ukraine’s second largest donor after the US, is striving to assume a more leading role in supporting Kyiv as US backing faces scrutiny under Mr. Trump.
While a senior German military official believes that Europe could sustain Ukraine’s resistance without US military support, the challenges would be daunting.
Germany has provided a total of €38 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including allocations for the upcoming years, according to the defense ministry.
A Bloomberg News report indicated that Germany is preparing a €25 billion tank order to enhance its NATO brigades.
The defense ministry did not have an immediate comment on this matter.
Russian strike damages power line to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Russia has destroyed the power line connecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to the grid, resulting in a blackout, as stated by Ukraine’s Minister for Energy, German Galushchenko.
All external power lines supplying electricity to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to cool the fuel in its reactors are currently down, reported the UN nuclear watchdog.
“Ukraine’s ZNPP lost all off-site power at 17:36 today, marking the ninth time during the military conflict and the first since late 2023,” said the International Atomic Energy Agency on X.
It noted that the plant is relying on its emergency diesel generators for power.
Although its six reactors are shut down, the plant requires power for its cooling systems to ensure safety.
