Trump says Ukraine will need Patriot missiles for its defense, chides Putin

By Andrea Shalal and Max Hunder

WASHINGTON/KYIV (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukraine would need Patriot missiles for its defenses, after speaking with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, and voiced frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin's failure to end the fighting.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had a good call with Zelenskiy, repeating that he was "very unhappy" about his call with Putin a day earlier, given what he called the Russian leader's refusal to work on a ceasefire.

Asked whether the United States would agree to supply more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as requested by Zelenskiy, Trump said: "They're going to need them for defense... They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard."

Trump touted the efficacy of the Patriot missiles, calling the weapon "pretty amazing."

Asked about the prospects for a ceasefire, Trump said, "It’s a very tough situation... I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people - it’s no good."

Zelenskiy said he had agreed to work on increasing Kyiv's capability to "defend the sky" as Russian attacks escalate, adding in a message on Telegram that he discussed joint defense production, as well as joint purchases and investments with the U.S. leader.

Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes.

A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv that the move would weaken its ability to defend against Russia's airstrikes and battlefield advances. Germany said it is in talks on buying Patriot air defense systems to bridge the gap.

A source briefed on the Trump-Zelenskiy call told Reuters they were optimistic that supplies of Patriot missiles could resume after what they called a "very good" conversation between the presidents.

RUSSIA PUMMELS KYIV

Trump said he also spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about Ukraine's request for Patriot missiles but that no decision had been made to supply the advanced missiles.

U.S. news outlet Axios reported, citing unnamed sources, that the call lasted around 40 minutes and that Trump told Zelenskiy he would check what U.S. weapons due to be sent to Ukraine, if any, had been put on hold.

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said he and Trump had agreed to "arrange a meeting between our teams to strengthen air defenses.

"We had a very detailed discussion on joint production. We need it, America needs it."

The conversation came a day after Trump said he had a disappointing call with Putin.

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war across the capital hours after Trump's conversation with Putin on Thursday.

Zelenskiy called the attack "deliberately massive and cynical."

Kyiv in the past received Patriot batteries and ammunition from the U.S. in the form of aid under then-President Joe Biden.

Trump criticized him for sending weapons to Ukraine without getting anything in return, and since taking office has overseen a dramatic shake-up of relations with Kyiv.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Max Hunder, Doina Chiacu, Tim Gardner and Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Louise Heavens, Peter Graff, Sharon Singleton, Hugh Lawson, Ron Popeski and William Mallard)