Zelensky 'counting on' more US air defense missiles, security guarantees following meeting with Trump at Davos
Ukraine is banking on more anti-ballistic air defense missiles from the U.S. following a "positive" meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 23.
"What did Davos bring to Ukraine? Above all, let's be fair: An important meeting with the United States of America. With all due respect to other leaders," Zelensky told reporters.
"We actually had a positive meeting with President Trump and his team," Zelensky said. "Above all, if I'm being honest, I raised the question of air defense, and I think that the U.S.A. will return with a positive result."
Relations between Ukraine and the U.S. have soured since Trump returned to office just over a year ago. His administration has largely cut off aid, in contrast to extensive U.S. weapons support under President Joe Biden. Ukraine's air defense in particular has been suffering.
Lack of air defense has left Ukraine vulnerable to Russian air strikes that have taken large swathes of energy infrastructure offline, leaving millions of Ukrainians without electricity and heat in the coldest winter of the full-scale war yet.
"We spoke with President Trump about additional anti-air missiles – the PAC-3s, against ballistics, which are what we need," Zelensky said. "I'm counting on a positive result."
PAC-3s are missiles for Patriot air defense systems that are to date the only reliable defense against Russian ballistic missiles like Kinzhals and Iskanders. "Nothing else works," Zelensky said earlier this week.
Zelensky is also further looking for Trump to underwrite security guarantees for Ukraine.
"The treaty is ready to be signed. Of course, there will be different technical details, and on the basis of this document, other supplementary documents will come up," Zelensky said. "Now I'm waiting for the time and place from President Trump. It's up to him."
Ukraine and the U.S. have been discussing a potential agreement for several months that is expected to include security guarantees on land, sea, and air, as well as the involvement of foreign military contingents.
A European "Coalition of the Willing," led by the U.K. and France, has held several meetings but has yet to secure commitments, such as providing boots on the ground, for a post-war Ukraine.
Zelensky said on Dec. 26 that the U.S. had offered Ukraine security guarantees for 15 years, but the president expressed hope the guarantees could be extended for a longer period.
On Jan. 12, Zelensky said the document was essentially ready and added that the next step would be its final review at the highest level.
