Zelenskyy says proposed large-scale deals on drones, arms procurement to US

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said his country has proposed large-scale agreements on drones and arms procurement to the US, calling for a more active implementation of initiatives to further strengthen Kyiv.

In a statement on US social media company X following overnight airstrikes on Ukraine, Zelenskyy said Russia continues its attacks despite global calls for peace, including from the US, and that Kyiv agreed to all the proposals.

“But it seems this position is not being heard in Russia,” Zelenskyy said, arguing that this means they must implement initiatives that will strengthen Ukraine “more actively.”

Zelenskyy particularly named the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), an initiative launched by the US and NATO designed to accelerate the delivery of weapons and equipment to Ukraine to strengthen its defense capabilities, as well as co-production and the finalization of security guarantees.

“On the table are large-scale agreements on drones and arms procurement that Ukraine has proposed to the United States. Decisive action is needed so that Russia ultimately agrees to diplomacy as well,” Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian president’s remarks come as Kyiv claimed its air defenses shot down 71 out of 86 drones of various types launched by Russia overnight.

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian capital and other regions, including Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, were targeted during the overnight strikes. He added that two people were injured in the city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Russian authorities did not immediately comment on Ukraine’s claims.