US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to discuss the sudden halt of some key US arms supplies to Ukraine on Friday during a phone call, according to sources familiar with the plan, the Financial Times reports, writes UNN.
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Sources said the Ukrainian President would also raise the issue of potential future arms sales.
The timing of the talks could change, people familiar with the planning said. The White House and the Office of the President of Ukraine, as stated, did not respond to requests for comment on the planned conversation.
Ukraine summoned a senior US diplomat on Wednesday after being caught off guard by the Pentagon's decision to halt deliveries of several advanced weapons systems. Zelenskyy has lobbied for the purchase of American Patriot anti-missile systems, including at a meeting during last week's NATO summit, which Trump called "very pleasant."
The Ukrainians, the publication writes, were alarmed by the suspension of arms supplies, including a part that is now in Poland, while Russia is intensifying its summer offensive, which included its largest air attack of the entire war last weekend. Zelenskyy said he wants to buy 10 Patriot systems for $15 billion to defend against Russian drones and missiles, the publication notes.
Trump suggested at the NATO summit that he would consider selling Patriot interceptors to Kyiv, but said supplies were low. US Department of Defense spokesman Sean Parnell said on Wednesday that the halt in supplies came after a "review of capabilities" conducted "to ensure that US military assistance aligns with our defense priorities."
The Pentagon is concerned about its own stockpiles, which officials say have fallen to critical levels. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Fox News on Wednesday that he understands Washington's need to carefully manage its reserves, but said that Ukraine "cannot do without the support it can get."
Zelenskyy said on Wednesday evening that he had held meetings with the ministers of defense and foreign affairs to discuss Ukraine's relations with the United States. Kyiv "is clarifying all the details of defense support," he said. "One way or another, we must ensure the protection of our people."
In Washington, lawmakers and former diplomats criticized the Pentagon for halting arms supplies that had already been allocated to Ukraine.
According to senior US and Ukrainian officials, the suspended deliveries include Patriot interceptors. Deliveries of some types of weapons are ongoing.