Zelenskyy Hands U.S. Detailed Air Defense Missile List During Talks With Trump
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says air defense was among the issues discussed during his recent talks with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, The Gaze reports exclusively.
Speaking to journalists on December 30, Zelenskyy said he used the meeting to personally brief the U.S. side on Ukraine’s most urgent need: interceptor missiles to shield cities, ports, and critical infrastructure from escalating Russian strikes.
According to Zelenskyy, a substantial part of the conversation was devoted to air defense requirements. He said Ukraine urgently needs additional interceptors for NASAMS and Patriot PAC-3 systems and presented the American delegation with detailed assessments illustrating the current strain on Ukraine’s defenses. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were present during the briefing.
Ukraine, Zelenskyy noted, is prepared to purchase the systems through the PURL mechanism, thanking European partners for financing the program and enabling direct procurement of air defense assets.
“Of course, diplomacy is number one. However, while the war continues, Russia keeps launching large-scale strikes. That is why we raised the issue of air defense and stressed the importance of speed.” Zelenskyy stated.
In addition, the Ukrainian president said Russia’s recent campaign against port facilities is aimed at isolating Odesa and other coastal hubs by degrading maritime logistics and export capacity, striking at both civilian life and Ukraine’s economy.
As The Gaze previously informed, on Monday, following talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a summary statement outlining the key points agreed upon during the discussion.
Read more on The Gaze: PURL and the New Era of Western Support: Funding in Europe, Weapons in America, Results in Ukraine