Keystone-SDA
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that he had a “productive conversation” in kyiv with the American special envoy Keith Kellogg. He also thanked Donald Trump for his “support”, after the announcement of new deliveries of anti -aircraft defense systems.
(Keystone-ATS) The tenant of the White House also promised for Monday an “important” declaration on Russia, without specifying its nature.
The Ukrainian president said he was “grateful” to his American counterpart for “important signs of support and positive decisions for our two countries”.
He seemed to refer to Donald Trump’s announcement on Sunday, who promised Ukraine to send more anti -aircraft defense systems Patriot.
“Discussing the path to peace”
Zelensky also said that he had a “productive conversation” on defense aid and sanctions against Russia on Monday with the Special Envoy of the United States Kellogg, traveling to kyiv.
“We have discussed the path to peace, and what we can do concretely to get closer to it,” wrote the Ukrainian president on social networks.
“This includes the strengthening of Ukrainian air defense, joint production and the acquisition of defense weapons in collaboration with Europe”, as well as “sanctions against Russia” and its supports, he added.
Pressures in the Republican camp
Ukraine and many American elected officials, including in the Donald Trump camp, push the president to adopt new sanctions against Moscow. To which he has so far refused, saying that he wanted to give diplomacy a chance.
The announcement, Sunday, of the future sending of Patriot systems, is already a flip-flop on the part of the impetuous billionaire on the Ukrainian file. Washington had announced the suspension of certain arms deliveries to kyiv two weeks ago.
Since his return to the White House in January, Donald Trump has tried to get closer to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and to negotiate with him an end of the invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022.
“Disappointed” by Putin
But after inexperienced talks between Moscow and kyiv, the diplomatic process is deadlocked and Donald Trump seems to be getting impatient. He said last week to be “disappointed” by Vladimir Putin.
The former real estate-promoter, who is due to receive Monday at the White House the secretary general of NATO Mark Rutte, explained the day before that Ukraine “desperately needed” Patriot systems.
The delivery of weapons by Washington will be part of an agreement involving NATO, which will pay the United States for what it will send to Ukraine, according to Donald Trump.
“Depue”
In eastern Ukraine, where the fighting is raging, the soldier Adistron, 29, said he was “very happy” that his country soon receives more patriot systems, according to him to protect civilians but also troops.
“Without them, we are helpless,” he told AFP. “So Mr. Trump, give us more, more patriot. Another 29 -year -old soldier, who calls himself Grizzly, judges that “better late than ever”. “Thanks to the patriots they give us, our families will be more safe,” he said.
Russian air strikes in Ukraine have intensified in recent weeks. Moscow beats records in number of vehicles drawn every week, supplied by a defense industry that runs at full speed.
Russia claims an advance
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched overnight on Sunday to Monday 136 drones and four missiles. On the Ukrainian front, the Moscow army remains to the advantage.
The Russian Defense Ministry still claimed on Monday taking two small Ukrainian villages. One, Maïak, is in the eastern region of Donetsk and the other, Malynivka, in that of Zaporijjia (South).
Attacks killed at least three civilians on Monday in the regions of Kharkiv and Soumy, both borders of Russia and located in northeast Ukraine, according to local authorities.
Volodymyr Zelensky also proposed Monday to appoint Prime Minister his current Minister of the Economy, Ioulia Svyrydenko, which would constitute a major political reshuffle for this country at war.