Trump tells Zelenskyy he’ll help with air defense, vows to review paused U.S. aid
U.S. President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a phone call that the United States wants to help
Ukraine bolster its air defenses amid intensifying Russian aerial attacks, Axios
reported on July 4, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official and a source familiar
with the conversation.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon halted weapons shipments to
Ukraine, including air defense interceptors and ammunition.
One source said Trump was aware that Russia had ramped up
attacks both on Ukrainian cities and along the front line.
“Trump said he wants to help with air defense and will check
what assistance was suspended, if anything actually was,” the source told
Axios.
A Ukrainian official said Trump and Zelenskyy agreed that U.S.
and Ukrainian teams would meet soon to discuss air defense systems and other
weapons.
The White House did not respond to Axios’s request for
comment.
Zelenskyy and Trump held the phone call on July 4.
Ukraine’s head of state said “Trump is very well informed,”
and that they had discussed air defense options and agreed to work together on
strengthening Ukraine’s sky shield.
Separately, reporter Barak Ravid, citing sources, said Trump
and Zelenskyy discussed the increase in Russian strikes on Ukraine and the
delivery of air defense systems. The call lasted about 40 minutes.
On July 3, Trump also spoke by phone with Russian dictator
Vladimir Putin. After the call, the U.S. president said he made “no progress”
on achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine and was disappointed with the conversation.
On July 4, NBC News reported, citing three U.S. officials,
that the Pentagon’s decision to suspend weapons shipments to Ukraine lacked
justification. An internal review showed the aid packages would not compromise
U.S. ammunition stockpiles.
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