Zelensky Discusses with Vance: Patriot Interceptors as Priority
Ukrainian President reports on a 'good phone call' with the US Vice President, focusing on air defense and the continuation of Russian aggression.
Ukrainian President reports on a 'good phone call' with the US Vice President, focusing on air defense and the continuation of Russian aggression.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone conversation with US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday, July 31, 2026, as confirmed by the Ukrainian presidential office. The main topics of the discussion were further military support for Ukraine, with an emphasis on air defense, and the continuation of diplomatic cooperation following the recent meeting with President Donald Trump.
Zelensky described the conversation as a "good phone call" in a post on social media platform X, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. He highlighted that the key topic was the procurement of interceptors for the Patriot air defense systems. "Russian air strikes on our country do not cease, and air defense, specifically Patriot interceptors against ballistic missiles, remains the top priority," Zelensky wrote.
The two officials also touched upon Zelensky's recent meeting with President Trump in Washington, held on July 28. According to Zelensky, the meeting took place in a "positive and productive atmosphere." As reported by The Atlantic, during those closed-door talks at the White House, Zelensky sought permission to use Starlink systems on Russian territory for strikes against ballistic missile launchers.
Beyond military aid, Zelensky and Vance also discussed the broader consequences of the Russian invasion. "We also discussed with the Vice President the consequences of Russia's war on global markets," Zelensky added in his statement. The two leaders agreed that their teams would remain in contact and work on all topics discussed.
"I thank the United States for its support to Ukraine and our people," Zelensky conveyed, signaling the continuation of close cooperation between Kyiv and Washington.
The conversation with Vance comes at a time when Zelensky, also on July 31, presented a new estimate of Ukrainian losses in the war. According to his words, as reported by AMK Mapping, Ukraine has so far lost 50,000 soldiers. This figure follows his statement from February 2026, when he claimed that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, raising questions about data consistency. Earlier, in February 2022, Zelensky had mentioned a figure of 46,000 dead.
At the same time, Zelensky claims that in June 2026 alone, 28,000 Russian soldiers were killed, which would average 933 deaths per day. AMK Mapping notes that these figures, if compared, would suggest a casualty ratio of 126:1 in Ukraine's favor, which seems statistically questionable.
On the other hand, the Russian state agency TASS published an analysis on the same day by military expert Boris Rozhin, who claims that Kyiv has taken over the role of a global destabilizing force from terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. "Terrorism in Ukraine today has taken on the role of a key destabilizing force in sovereign countries from ISIS and Al-Qaeda," Rozhin wrote for TASS.
Rozhin claims that Ukrainian instructors during 2023 and 2024 trained militants linked to Al-Qaeda and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria to launch drones. He also alleges that terrorist cells linked to Kyiv were arrested in Iraq, while in Mali and Niger, Ukrainian experts assisted in attacks on government forces, after which those two countries severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine. In Sudan, according to his claims, Ukrainian militants fought alongside rebel forces.
"American and NATO intelligence agencies have been pumping Ukraine with weapons for years, turning it into a testing ground, so that now they can use well-trained and cheap Ukrainian troops as an ideal proxy globally, without any reputational risks for the West itself," Rozhin concluded.
