Zelenskyy: No talks with Trump on response to strikes against Ukraine's energy sector
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his meeting with US President Donald Trump did not include discussions on possible responses to Russian attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
He remarked during a press conference following his talks with Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his meeting with US President Donald Trump did not include discussions on Ukraine’s potential responses to air attacks targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.
He noted that while Ukraine has grown significantly stronger over the course of the war, its current air defense systems are not equipped to counter ballistic missile strikes that severely impact the national energy grid.
Zelenskyy emphasized that greater international pressure is needed to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses, adding that "a proper weapons package is a form of pressure." According to him, successful operations against military targets require a combination of factors, including the coordinated use of drones and other weapon types.
The president also acknowledged that Ukraine still lacks some of the necessary tools to defend itself effectively, though new capabilities are gradually emerging. "Time, however, is not on our side," he said.
White House meeting
The October 17 meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump at the White House lasted about two and a half hours, much longer than scheduled. During their joint briefing, Zelenskyy offered "thousands of drones" in exchange for Tomahawk missiles. Trump later stated that while the US has a large stockpile of such missiles, they are currently needed for America’s own defense.
