Zelensky to press Trump on air defences while in Washington
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is visiting Washington to lobby for increased US support, specifically for the production of Patriot missile interceptors. The visit coincides with heightened tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war and a separate conflict between the US and Iran.
Why it matters
The outcome of these talks could significantly impact Ukraine's defensive capabilities against ballistic missile attacks and influence broader geopolitical alliances.
Image source, ZelenskyyUa/X Image caption, Volodymyr Zelensky has said peace must be brought closer, ahead of talks at the White House
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky is due to hold important talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House, where he is hoping to firm up commitments to bolstering Kyiv's anti-ballistic missile defences.
Zelensky has arrived in the US at a significant stage in Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, with Moscow's mayor saying the capital was targeted by 390 drones in a matter of hours overnight.
The Ukrainian leader is expected to press Trump over support he gave earlier this month for Kyiv to be given a licence to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.
Russia has escalated deadly ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine's capital recently, and Zelensky has said interceptors are urgently needed.
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