The Hague . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump held a crucial diplomatic meeting on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in The Hague on Wednesday, focusing on deepening defence cooperation, enhancing military capabilities, and addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Calling the talks “a good meeting,” President Zelenskyy posted a detailed update on X (formerly Twitter), in which he praised President Trump for the recent U.S. military operation in the Middle East. The operation targeted Iran’s nuclear and drone production infrastructure, which Zelenskyy said had significantly weakened Iran’s military capacity.
“I congratulated President Trump on the successful operation in the Middle East. These actions have not only diminished Iran’s nuclear threat but also impaired their drone capabilities. We will continue to monitor developments closely,” Zelenskyy noted.
A central focus of the discussion was Ukraine’s urgent need to bolster its air defence systems in response to relentless Russian missile and drone attacks. Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s intent to purchase American-made defence systems to protect key infrastructure, religious sites, and civilian populations.
“Ukraine is ready to buy U.S. air defence systems. This is about safeguarding our cities, our people, and critical infrastructure. Europe can and should support this effort too,” he stated.
Another significant topic was the possibility of co-producing drones. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is seeking to expand its domestic defence manufacturing, particularly in drone technology, in partnership with the U.S., which would also benefit American weapons manufacturers and NATO supply chains.
“We discussed potential drone co-production. This collaboration could strengthen our defence industry and benefit our Western partners,” he added.
Zelenskyy also briefed Trump on recent technical negotiations in Istanbul, which focused on prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of fallen soldiers. He noted that Russia had returned the bodies of its troops, and forensic efforts were underway in Kyiv to identify them.
“We addressed the humanitarian issues — including prisoner exchanges and the return of the deceased. These are critical elements of our broader wartime effort,” said Zelenskyy.
On the military front, Zelenskyy challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims of progress on the battlefield.
“I shared accurate, on-the-ground information with President Trump. Putin is not winning this war. I presented him with the facts to dispel Russian propaganda,” he emphasized.
The meeting came amid fresh Russian missile strikes that killed at least 17 people in Dnipro and injured over 200, according to reports from Al Jazeera. Another attack in Samara took two more lives, while Russia claimed to have taken control of Dyliivka in Donetsk — a key flashpoint since 2014.
Meanwhile, Russia said it intercepted multiple Ukrainian drones across various regions, including the border province of Voronezh.
In response to growing security threats, NATO member states have pledged to increase their defence budgets. By 2035, they aim to invest at least 5% of their GDP annually in core defence and security sectors to counter long-term challenges posed by Russia and terrorism.
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