Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has put a new formula on the table in Washington: Kyiv will freeze all strikes on Russian energy facilities and refineries in exchange for a steady American supply of Patriot air-defense interceptors.
"Ukraine is capable of stopping attacks on Russian refineries, provided we receive American assistance in the form of Patriot missiles for exactly that same period," Zelensky said, framing the proposal as a way to secure protection against Russian missile barrages.
The offer comes against the backdrop of a Washington Post report, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the Trump administration is currently blocking approval of the critical interceptors for the Ukrainian military.
According to the report, the sensitive issue now sits on the desk of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has so far declined to approve requests from allied nations seeking to transfer missiles in their possession to Ukraine, but has also refrained from formally rejecting them, a move that leaves Kyiv's defense posture in limbo and under acute strain.
President Trump attacked Zelensky yesterday, saying: "He doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did. This is a war that never should have happened. If I had been president then, it wouldn't have happened."
In an interview published by Bloomberg, Zelensky responded sharply to the accusations and charged that Trump is acting in Russia's interest. "Trump is trying to push Ukraine to surrender to Russia," Zelensky said, warning of a dangerous turn: "We are now facing dangerous days ahead of the US elections. In my assessment, calculated steps have been taken that are designed to convince Ukraine to surrender."
