
Zelensky, Trump discuss strengthening Ukraine’s air defence amid Russian attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said he had a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump focused on strengthening Ukraine’s air defence capabilities amid intensified Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.
“I informed President Trump about Russia’s attacks on our energy system and appreciate his willingness to support us,” Zelensky said on X (formerly Twitter). He added that both sides discussed “good options and solid ideas” to enhance Ukraine’s defence capacity and protect key power facilities.
According to Zelensky, the two leaders also explored “concrete agreements” to advance air defence cooperation, underscoring Washington’s continuing support for Kyiv despite growing global focus on other conflicts.
“If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well — including the Russian war,” Zelensky said, emphasizing his confidence in renewed diplomatic and defence efforts.
The discussion comes after a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes targeted Ukraine’s energy grid last week, prompting emergency power outages across Kyiv and nine regions. More than 800,000 residents in the capital had power restored on Saturday, though localized outages persist, according to Ukrainian officials.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the UN General Assembly in late September that Moscow “remains open to negotiations,” but Friday’s large-scale airstrikes signaled no immediate easing of hostilities.
The Trump administration has previously expressed interest in supporting Ukraine through defensive aid and infrastructure protection initiatives, though details of potential new assistance packages remain under discussion.