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Zelenskyy Meets US Defense Giants to Bolster Patriot Systems and Speed Up F-16 Deliveries

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Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko
Dariia Mykhailenko
News Writer
Ukrainian and German soldiers are training on the Patriot air defense missile system at a military training area on June 11, 2024. (Source: Getty Images)
Ukrainian and German soldiers are training on the Patriot air defense missile system at a military training area on June 11, 2024. (Source: Getty Images)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held separate meetings with representatives of two leading US defense companies—Raytheon and Lockheed Martin—to discuss expanding cooperation on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense and long-range strike capabilities, according to President`s Telegram on October 17.

“We discussed Raytheon’s production capacities, potential avenues for cooperation to bolster air defense and expand Ukraine’s long-range capabilities, as well as prospects for Ukrainian-American manufacturing,” Zelenskyy said after the meeting with Raytheon, which produces Patriot missile systems.

The President noted that he briefed partners on the current situation on the battlefield and the intensifying Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure. According to him, solutions already exist that “can strengthen the protection of lives in Ukraine,” and efforts are underway to implement them.

During talks with Lockheed Martin, the discussion focused on Ukraine’s need for F-16 fighter jets, missiles for air defense systems, and key steps to enhance defense capabilities ahead of winter.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia was stepping up its “brutal attacks” on Ukraine as winter approached, stressing the urgent need to strengthen the country’s air defenses. He added that Ukraine clearly understood the specific steps required for its protection and was actively working to implement them.

Earlier, Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, introduced the S-70UAS U-Hawk—an autonomous variant of the UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter—engineered from concept to prototype in just 10 months.

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