Trump promised 'to think' about giving Kiev air defense: Zelensky
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Zelensky says Trump pledged to explore air defense support as part of a minerals deal and joint fund; first US arms sale to Ukraine under Trump expected.
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers journalists' questions near a house destroyed by Thursday's Russian strike on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, April 25, 2025 (AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that US President Donald Trump pledged to explore supplying Ukraine with air defense systems as part of the new minerals deal signed between Kiev and Washington.
Zelensky stated that this initiative comes as part of the joint Reconstruction Investment Fund, part of the broader minerals deal, which will see the establishment of a joint investment fund by the United States and Ukraine.
"We are ready that air defense systems can become a contribution to it [the fund]. I have told him [Trump] about the number [of air defense systems] that we need - he said that they will work on it, these things are not free," Zelensky said, expressing hope that the said the investment fund and minerals deal would help secure future US investments.
Zelenskyy also emphasized Ukraine's need for access to US arms purchases.
Trump admin readies first Ukraine arms sale
On May 2, The Guardian reported that the Trump administration is preparing to approve its first military equipment sale to Ukraine since Trump took office, suggesting the recent minerals deal between the two countries could revive weapons shipments.
The State Department has greenlit a proposed license for defense hardware and services worth "$50 million or more" (£37.6 million) to Ukraine, as outlined in a notification to the US Committee on Foreign Relations, marking the first such approval since President Trump halted all military aid to Ukraine soon after his inauguration.
The Ukrainian President linked the deal to his meeting with his US counterpart in the Vatican, stating in a video address that “Now we have the first result of the Vatican meeting, which makes it really historic. We are waiting for other results of the meeting," hailing the agreement as "truly equal."
The nine-page deal, whose text Ukraine’s government released Thursday, leaves questions about its practical implementation, particularly after the Trump administration initially urged Kyiv to repay past US military aid with mineral resources, a proposal later removed from the final agreement.
Additionally, the New York Times noted that the agreement seemed intentionally designed to allow for Ukraine’s potential future EU membership, an outcome that has yet to draw opposition from either the US or Russia.
However, the deal omitted any mention of the security guarantees Ukraine had repeatedly sought as protection against Russia potentially regrouping after a future ceasefire.
