Zelensky, Trump hold second phone call in 2 days, discuss Ukraine's air defense, long-range capabilities
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Oct. 12 that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump for the second time in two days.
Zelensky described the recent phone call as "very productive." According to him, the two leaders discussed air defense support and long-range strikes, as Russia ramps up its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
"President Trump is well-informed about everything that is happening," Zelensky said.
The previous call between Zelensky and Trump took place on Oct. 11. The two discussed Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy grid, agreements on bolstering Ukraine's air defenses and U.S. peace efforts in the Middle East.
Zelensky said that the second call focused on specific issues that had been planned during the previous call, and that the two leaders "went over all aspects of the situation."
The White House has not yet commented on the conversation.
The news comes amid reports that the U.S. has been helping Ukraine strike Russian energy infrastructure for months by providing Kyiv with targeting data.
The Oct. 11 Zelensky-Trump call also concerned the potential supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles for Ukraine, which would strengthen Kyiv's ability to strike Russian military targets, according to Axios.
"We see and hear that Russia fears the Americans might provide us with Tomahawks, which signals that this kind of pressure could be effective in achieving peace," Zelensky said in his evening address on Oct. 12.
It remains unclear whether any decision has been made on the matter during the conversations.
Trump said on Oct. 6 that he has "sort of made a decision" on whether to supply Ukraine with Tomahawks, but wants "to find out what they're doing with them."
