A Ukrainian government delegation met with leading U.S. arms manufacturers during an official visit to the United States, a senior Kyiv official said Wednesday. The visit comes ahead of a planned meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House later this week to discuss further cooperation to strengthen Ukraine’s defense against Russian invasion.
According to a statement from kyiv, the meeting was attended by Andrii Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, and Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, who held talks with representatives of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
Yermak did not reveal specific details of the talks, but noted that his country’s cooperation with both companies “continues to grow” as Ukraine seeks further support to resist the war launched by Russia since February 24, 2022. For his part, Mykhailo Podolyak, Yermak’s senior adviser, wrote in X that Ukraine seeks to obtain cruise missiles, air defense systems, and agreements for the joint production of drones from the United States.
Raytheon produces the Patriot air defense systems, crucial for countering Russian long-range attacks, as well as Tomahawk cruise missiles. Officials in Kyiv say the interest in obtaining Tomahawks is driven by the ability to hit targets inside Russia, including Moscow, with precision and large warheads. Lockheed Martin makes a wide range of sophisticated weapons systems that could bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Amid these negotiations, it has been reported that Zelensky hopes to seek Trump's approval for the acquisition of Tomahawk missiles during their meeting in the Oval Office. However, US officials have shown caution, concerned about the risk that the measure could escalate the conflict and increase tensions between the United States and Russia.
On Sunday, Trump warned Russia that he could send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine if Moscow does not end the conflict soon, using the possibility as a means of pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek compromises. “If this war does not end, if there is no path to peace in the near future, then the United States, together with its allies, will take the necessary steps to impose costs on Russia for its aggression,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Ukraine’s Western allies gathered at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Hegseth added that the US War Department is ready to act “in ways that only the United States can.”
For his part, Putin maintained that the incorporation of Tomahawk missiles would not alter the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the possible delivery of these missiles is “of extreme concern” to Russian authorities.
During the NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels, participants discussed how to maintain the flow of arms supplies to Ukraine, after European military aid declined significantly over the summer. Both European countries and Canada are acquiring U.S. weapons to help Ukrainian forces contain the Russian advance.
In parallel with the military negotiations, the prime minister highlighted progress in economic cooperation between Ukraine and the United States. Svyrydenko reported on a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, during which they finalized details for the launch of the U.S.-Ukraine Reinvestment Fund, part of an agreement granting U.S. companies access to Ukraine's mineral resources. Svyrydenko explained that the fund still requires several important decisions before it can become operational and noted that the first potential projects to receive investment are in the critical minerals, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
This week, the Ukrainian military attacked an oil terminal in Feodosia, on the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula, according to a statement posted by the Ukrainian General Staff on Telegram. The attack damaged 16 fuel tanks at the terminal, which had already been hit in an earlier offensive.
Meanwhile, state energy group Naftogaz, Ukraine's largest oil and gas producer, said Russia bombed one of its power plants overnight, the latest in a series of attacks on gas and energy infrastructure. At least two Ukrainian regions reported power outages.
