Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday for talks focused on reviving diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses, and exploring possible steps toward a ceasefire.

The closed-door meeting began at 9:47 a.m. Washington time (4:47 p.m. Kyiv time) and lasted about an hour, according to a White House official. Following the talks, Zelensky described the meeting as productive and said the two leaders discussed both military support and diplomatic initiatives.

“It was a good meeting,” Zelensky said. “The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help.”

He added that the two leaders also discussed the importance of restarting diplomatic efforts, saying their teams would continue coordinating on the details of future discussions.

A major topic of discussion was expected to be Ukraine’s urgent need for additional Patriot missile interceptors, which Kyiv considers essential for protecting cities and critical infrastructure from Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Ukraine has repeatedly warned of shortages in Patriot interceptor supplies, with officials saying the system remains one of the few available defenses capable of countering Russia’s advanced missile threats.

Sources familiar with the talks said Zelensky was also expected to present an idea for a possible air truce that could later be discussed with Moscow as part of broader peace efforts.

The meeting comes amid an escalation in long-range attacks by both sides. Ukraine has intensified strikes targeting Russian military facilities, logistics networks, and strategic locations deep inside Russian territory, while Russia has increased missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and other civilian areas.

The discussions took place as Washington and Kyiv seek to restart stalled negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. Ukrainian officials believe Trump has recently taken a more favorable position toward Ukraine, making the meeting a key opportunity to secure continued U.S. backing.

The talks follow a previous meeting between Trump and Zelensky on July 8, during which Trump approved Ukraine’s long-standing request to produce U.S.-designed Patriot systems under license.

A U.S. official said the White House believes both Russia and Ukraine may now have incentives to consider an air ceasefire. According to the official, Ukraine wants to protect its limited missile defense capabilities, while Russia is facing increasing pressure from Ukrainian strikes.

The meeting also coincided with new congressional efforts to increase pressure on Moscow. Shortly before the talks, U.S. senators announced a bipartisan agreement on legislation targeting major buyers of Russian oil and gas, accusing them of helping finance Russia’s war effort.

A procedural vote was scheduled for the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which proposes additional measures against countries and entities supporting Russia’s energy revenues.

Ahead of his White House meeting, Zelensky held discussions with senior Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are involved in Washington’s efforts to broker a settlement between Kyiv and Moscow.

According to sources familiar with the talks, the conversation did not include detailed proposals but focused on informing Kyiv about a revised U.S. negotiating framework. Officials said Washington intends to coordinate closely with Ukraine before presenting any potential plan to Russia.

Witkoff and Kushner are not currently expected to travel to Kyiv but are reportedly preparing for possible discussions with Moscow after aligning positions with Ukrainian officials.

A White House official reiterated that Trump remains committed to ending the war.

“He remains optimistic that we’ll ultimately get a peace deal done,” the official said.

The latest talks mark another attempt by Washington and Kyiv to find a diplomatic pathway toward ending the conflict, which has continued for more than three years despite repeated international efforts to reach a settlement. (ILKHA)