S President Donald Trump said he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, while a Ukrainian source told Reuters that Trump may speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday.
“Will be speaking to President Putin of Russia at 10:00 A.M. Thank you!” Trump wrote on his social media platform. He did not disclose the topics of discussion.
According to the Financial Times, Trump and Zelenskiy are expected to discuss the recent halt in key US weapons deliveries to Kyiv. Zelenskiy is likely to raise the issue of future arms sales during the call, which may be rescheduled, the newspaper said, citing sources familiar with the planning.
The White House did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the reported Zelenskiy call.
The US has paused shipments of some critical weapons to Ukraine due to low stockpiles, sources previously told Reuters. This prompted Ukraine to summon the acting US envoy in Kyiv on Wednesday to stress the importance of continued US military support. Ukrainian officials warned that reduced assistance would weaken their ability to defend against increased Russian airstrikes and advances on the battlefield.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that the Pentagon’s decision has led to a cut in deliveries of Patriot air defence missiles, which Ukraine relies on to intercept fast-moving ballistic threats.
