Zelensky announces deal to buy 25 Patriots, open to Budapest talks
4 Min Read
Zelensky expresses readiness to join possible Trump-Putin peace talks in Budapest amid shifting Western strategies.
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US troops from the 5th Battalion of the 7th Air Defense Regiment are seen at a test range in Sochaczew, Poland, on Saturday, March 21, 2015 (AP)
Ukraine is preparing to finalize a contract to obtain 25 US-made Patriot air defense systems, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday, in what would mark one of Kiev's largest defense procurement deals since the start of the war.
Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said deliveries would be staggered over several years and that Kiev hoped to secure priority from certain European partners in the production queue. Patriots, he noted, remain the most effective means of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, which travel several times faster than the speed of sound.
Diplomacy shifts
The announcement comes as both diplomatic and financial initiatives gather pace across Europe and Washington. The European Commission recently proposed allowing Ukraine to use part of a planned €140 billion reparations loan, funded through frozen Russian assets, to purchase weapons even from outside the European Union. The proposal, while politically backed by key EU states, has drawn warnings from Moscow, which described the move as "outright theft" and threatened retaliation for the illegal seizure of Russian property.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Zelensky's latest visit to the White House unfolded amid signs of shifting US priorities. During his meeting with President Donald Trump, the Ukrainian leader pressed for additional long-range systems, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, but was told it was "too early" for such transfers. Trump said that his administration's main goal was to end the conflict through diplomacy, saying, "Hopefully they won't need it. Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks."
Budapest prospects
The two leaders' encounter came just days after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to hold a summit in Budapest, with Hungary offering to host and guarantee Putin's safety despite the International Criminal Court warrant against him. Zelensky said he was ready to travel to the Hungarian capital if a trilateral format or "shuttle diplomacy" arrangement were proposed. "If we really want to have just and lasting peace, we need both sides of this tragedy… How can there be some deals without us about us?" he had earlier told NBC.
Zelensky's comments on Sunday reflected a guarded sense of optimism after what was widely reported as a tense meeting at the White House. "After many rounds of discussion over more than two hours with (Trump) and his team, his message, in my view, is positive, that we stand where we stand on the front line," he said.
Fragile truce
Trump, who has recently touted his ability to broker a settlement with Moscow, publicly called for a ceasefire along the current frontlines following the meeting. Zelensky appeared to align with that position, saying a pause in fighting could serve as a foundation for further negotiations, though he reiterated that any agreement must guarantee Ukraine's security.
In Moscow, Russian officials have reacted warily to Trump's suggestion of a "dual victory" scenario in which both Kiev and Moscow could claim success. Former president Dmitry Medvedev dismissed the idea outright, saying Russia would only accept victory "under conditions well-known to all."
As Washington inches toward a diplomatic track, European capitals continue to push for sustained military support. France, Germany, and Poland have reaffirmed their readiness to use the value of immobilized Russian assets to keep Ukraine's war effort viable, warning that any reduction in Western aid could embolden Russia and weaken Kiev's negotiating hand.
Read more: EU nears deal to fund Ukraine with frozen Russian assets
