U.S. President Donald Trump shared a Washington Post op-ed calling for granting Ukraine the license to produce interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system. The President reposted this on his Truth Social account without commenting on the article.
On July 31, Trump emphasized the need for the U.S. to be cautious about licensing weapon production to other countries, asserting that Washington had not approved transferring Patriot or Tomahawk missile technology to Kyiv and doubted such a move would happen.
These developments occur just days before the anticipated visit of Trump's envoys. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed accompanying the visit with a ceasefire with Moscow.
Trump stated that envoys Steve Whitkoff and Jared Kushner would present a proposal to end the ongoing war, acknowledging previous U.S. efforts have yet to reconcile the conflicting sides or advance towards peace since the war began in 2022.
Speaking to journalists at the White House, Trump said, "They are bringing a proposal to end the war. We sent them to see if we can achieve something, and there might be a good chance of success." According to Axios, Kushner and Whitkoff are set to meet with Putin in the Kremlin on Saturday and Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday.
Trump did not reveal details of the proposal or whether it involves Ukraine ceding territory, a demand by Moscow that Kyiv rejects. Meanwhile, Zelensky has suggested a ceasefire with Russia during the upcoming visit.
Ukraine accused Russia on Friday of a drone attack on the Security Service's headquarters in Kyiv. In a rare daytime assault, Zelensky claimed a drone targeted the Security Service (SBU) headquarters, aiming at the director's office. After the attack, which injured 15 people, Zelensky instructed the SBU to retaliate, a move Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga termed a "major escalation." Zelensky noted the SBU is preparing an appropriate response.
The Security Service confirmed its chief was unharmed and announced plans to restore the building. This marks the first strike on the Security Service HQ since the Russian invasion over four years ago. The SBU, while primarily Ukraine's domestic security agency, has led several operations inside Russian territory.
Moscow has intensified its daytime assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, including using jet-powered drones that challenge air defenses. Government buildings in central Kyiv, however, remain rarely targeted due to their heavy fortifications.
Amid increased tension between the SBU and Ukraine's military intelligence agency, "GUR," a shootout between their members occurred in Kyiv earlier this week, an incident Zelensky described as "completely unacceptable."
The U.S.-led diplomatic effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war has faltered recently as Washington shifted focus to tensions with Iran. The Russian invasion has resulted in massive civilian and military casualties, becoming Europe's worst conflict since World War II.