KYIV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on September 27 that Ukrainian officials will visit the United States soon for talks on major arms acquisitions and drone production partnerships, signaling a strategic boost in Kyiv’s military capabilities.
During his recent visit to the US for the United Nations General Assembly and a meeting with President Donald Trump, Zelensky shared a vision for enhanced support to counter Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Kyiv has prepared a substantial list of American weapons valued at approximately US$90 billion, termed the “Mega Deal.
”In parallel, Zelensky revealed discussions about a new “Drone Deal” involving US purchases of drones directly from Ukraine, which has developed a robust drone industry over the past three and a half years despite limited financial resources. Technical teams on both sides are already working to operationalize this partnership.
Ukraine recently deployed its first Patriot missile defense system, supplied by Israel, with plans to receive two additional Patriot systems in the autumn, underscoring Ukraine’s focus on bolstering air defenses to protect cities and civilians from increasingly frequent Russian drone and missile strikes. Russia has intensified these attacks, often launching hundreds of drones nightly.
Ukraine is retaliating with its own drone strikes targeting Russian energy and oil infrastructure. Zelensky emphasized a firm stance, noting, “It’s pointless to expect Russia to take conciliatory steps towards Ukraine. Accordingly, Ukraine should take appropriate steps towards Russia.”
This combination of significant arms procurement and expanding drone capabilities highlights Ukraine’s determined efforts to maintain defense resilience amid an escalating conflict landscape.