Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says he ordered intensified contacts with US for deliveries of arms

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(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he ordered an expansion of contacts with the United States to ensure critical deliveries of military supplies, primarily air defence.

Zelenskiy issued his call a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would send more weapons to Ukraine, mainly defensive ones, to help the country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances.

“Today, I instructed the minister of defence and the commander in chief to intensify all contacts with the American side,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

“We currently have all the necessary political statements and decisions and we must implement them as quickly as possible to protect our people and positions,” he said.

Zelenskiy said the current focus for deliveries was on “air defence, as well as other elements of supply from the U.S.”

“These are critical deliveries that mean saving lives and protecting Ukrainian cities and villages. I expect results from these contacts very soon. And this week, we are preparing formats for meetings of our military and political teams.”

The U.S. Defense Department said it would send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine at Trump’s direction, to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while efforts continue to secure a lasting peace.

The U.S. decision to halt some arms shipments to Kyiv prompted Ukraine to warn the move would crimp its ability to fend off Russia’s air strikes and battlefield advances.

Russia’s military has in recent weeks boosted air attacks on Ukrainian cities by drones and missiles.

Trump on Tuesday again expressed disappointment at Russian President Vladimir Putin over the failure to introduce a ceasefire as part of moves to secure a peace. He said he was considering additional sanctions on Moscow.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleskander Kozhukhar; Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)