A delegation from the Ukrainian government has held meetings with leading U.S. defense contractors during a visit to the United States, a senior official from Kyiv said Wednesday, ahead of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s scheduled White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump later this week.
The delegation, led by Andrii Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, and Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, met with representatives from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, Yermak announced on Telegram.
While Yermak did not reveal the specifics of the discussions, he noted that Ukraine’s collaboration with the two firms “continues to expand” as the country seeks additional support in its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion that began on February 24, 2022. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior advisor to Yermak, shared on X that Ukraine is pursuing U.S. assistance in acquiring cruise missiles, air defense systems, and establishing joint drone production.
Raytheon manufactures Patriot air defense systems, crucial to Ukraine’s efforts to counter Russian long-range attacks, as well as Tomahawk cruise missiles. Ukrainian officials are particularly interested in Tomahawks, which could allow strikes deep into Russian territory, including Moscow, with precision and powerful warheads.
Lockheed Martin also produces a wide range of advanced weapon systems that could bolster Ukraine’s military capabilities.
U.S. stance on escalation
Zelenskyy is expected to request Trump’s approval for Tomahawk missile transfers during their Oval Office meeting, though U.S. authorities have been cautious due to concerns that it might escalate the conflict and strain U.S.-Russia relations. Nonetheless, Trump recently warned Russia that he could authorize sending Tomahawks to Ukraine if Moscow does not seek a resolution, potentially using the threat to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Ukraine’s Western supporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels that if the conflict does not end soon, “the United States, along with our allies, will take necessary steps to hold Russia accountable for continued aggression,” emphasizing that the U.S. military is ready to act in ways only it can.
Kremlin officials, including President Vladimir Putin and spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, dismissed the potential transfer of Tomahawks as unlikely to shift the battlefield dynamics but acknowledged the issue as a significant concern.
During a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, discussions centered on sustaining military aid to Ukraine after European assistance had dropped over the summer. European nations and Canada are procuring U.S.-made weapons to help Ukraine resist Russian advances.
U.S.-Ukraine minerals cooperation
Separately, Prime Minister Svyrydenko met U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday as the countries finalized plans for the U.S.-Ukraine Reinvestment Fund, granting American companies access to Ukraine’s extensive mineral resources. She said the fund is “a few key decisions away” from becoming operational, with initial projects in critical minerals, energy, and infrastructure sectors beginning to take shape.
Ongoing energy-related attacks
Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine continued targeting each other’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian forces carried out a strike on an oil terminal in Feodosia, in Russian-occupied Crimea, overnight, according to a Telegram post by the Ukrainian General Staff. The terminal is a key fuel supply point for Russian forces. The attack damaged 16 fuel tanks that had survived a previous strike last week, igniting a fire.
At the same time, Naftogaz Group, Ukraine’s largest oil and gas company, reported that Russia attacked one of its thermal power plants overnight, marking the latest in a series of strikes on Ukrainian gas infrastructure. The assaults caused power outages in at least two regions.
