Zelenskyy and Kellogg discuss air defence and arms purchases in Kyiv

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg on Monday in the capital Kyiv, where they discussed boosting Ukraine's air defences and Kyiv buying weapons with European help.

The meeting took place the day after US President Donald Trump said he would send Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine and ahead of an expected announcement on Monday of a new US plan to arm Kyiv with offensive weapons.

"We discussed the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer. This includes strengthening Ukraine's air defence, joint production, and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "And of course, sanctions against Russia and those who help it."

Trump, who began his second term with a more conciliatory approach to Russia, has in recent weeks signalled disenchantment with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Moscow has stepped up air strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

An air-raid alert was declared in Kyiv shortly after the meeting took place.