President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation on July 4, agreeing to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses, Zelensky announced on Telegram.

The call came as Russia escalated its aerial campaign across Ukraine, including an overnight July 4 attack that struck Kyiv and several other regions, injuring at least 23 civilians and sparking dozens of fires in the capital.

"Today we discussed the situation: Russian air strikes and, more broadly, the situation on the front lines. President Trump is very well informed," Zelensky said.

"We discussed air defense options and agreed to work on increasing airspace protection. We agreed on a meeting between our teams."

Zelensky said the two leaders also discussed Ukraine's defense industry potential and explored possibilities for direct cooperation with U.S. partners.

"We are ready for direct projects with America and believe that this is extremely necessary for security, especially with regard to drones and related technologies," he added.

Trump told Zelensky that the U.S. is willing to assist Ukraine with air defense amid intensified Russian strikes, Axios reported, citing unnamed sources. The call between the two presidents reportedly lasted about 40 minutes.

This conversation followed a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 3, during which the Kremlin said Putin reaffirmed that "Russia will continue to pursue its goals" in its war against Ukraine despite U.S. calls for a ceasefire.

Trump told reporters on July 3 that he was "very disappointed" by the conversation with Putin.

"I don't think he's there... I don't think he's looking to stop this fighting."

The call also followed the U.S. Defense Department's decision to pause shipments of key weapons systems to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles and precision-guided artillery rounds. Kyiv has warned that the delay threatens to weaken its air defenses and emboldens Moscow.

Despite repeated expressions of frustration about Russia's continued aggression, Trump's administration has yet to impose new sanctions or approve additional aid for Ukraine since taking office in January.

While Russia and Ukraine resumed direct talks in Istanbul this year, the two rounds of negotiations — on May 16 and June 2 — have yielded only prisoner exchanges and no progress toward a ceasefire.

‘Deliberately massive and cynical’ — Russian attack on Ukraine began as Trump and Putin spoke, Zelensky says

“Patriots and their missiles are real defenders of life,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “It is very important to maintain the support of partners in ballistic missile defense.”

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was "very disappointed" with Russian President Vladimir Putin following a phone call on July 3, during which the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Trump told reporters he "didn't make any progress" and accused Putin of showing no willingness to stop the fighting.

Trump also said that he is planning to talk to President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 4.

"I'm speaking to President Zelensky tomorrow in the early morning, and I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin," Trump told journalists. "Because I don't think he's there. And I'm very disappointed.  I don't think he's looking to stop this fighting."

Later on July 4, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia "is paying close attention to all of Trump's statements," but added Moscow will continue its full-scale war in Ukraine because "it is not yet possible to achieve goals through diplomatic means."

The hour-long conversation between Trump and Putin marked the sixth time the two leaders have spoken since Trump took office in January. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, Putin reiterated that "Russia will continue to pursue its goals," refusing to back down from what the Kremlin calls the "root causes” of the conflict.

The White House did not issue a readout of the call. Trump provided few additional details, only saying the discussion covered "a lot of things" and confirming no progress had been made on securing a ceasefire.

The call came just hours before one of the largest Russian aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent months. According to Zelensky, air raid sirens began sounding across Ukraine almost simultaneously with media reports about the Trump-Putin call.

"Russia is once again demonstrating that it is not going to end the war and terror," Zelensky said. "The first air raids in our cities and regions began yesterday, almost simultaneously with the start of media discussions of President Trump's phone call with Putin."

Overnight on July 4, Russian forces launched more than 550 aerial weapons, including over 330 Iranian-type Shahed drones and multiple types of missiles, across Ukraine, with Kyiv as the main target. At least 23 people were injured in the capital, where fires broke out in multiple districts and air pollution reached dangerous levels.

Zelensky renewed calls for increased military assistance from Ukraine's partners, especially the delivery of U.S.-made Patriot missile systems.

"Patriots and their missiles are real defenders of life," he said.

Despite Ukraine's urgent appeals, the U.S. Defense Department has paused shipments of Patriot systems and other key munitions, citing the need to replenish domestic stockpiles. Ukrainian officials have warned that such delays threaten to embolden Russia and intensify attacks on civilians.

Putin tells Trump Russia won’t back down from its war aims in Ukraine

The hour-long conversation between the two presidents focused on Russia’s war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Three Democratic Senators have launched an investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump's refusal to impose new sanctions against Russia, the legislators announced in a joint statement on July 3.

Since taking office in January, Trump has passed no new sanctions against Moscow. In some cases, he has even eased restrictions, even as Russia intensifies its full-scale war against Ukraine.

Senate Democrats Jeanne Shaheen, Elizabeth Warren, and Chris Coons called on the administration to impose new penalties on the Kremlin and said they planned to investigate Trump's "five-month pause" on sanctions.

"Americans should be asking why a president who says he wants to end a major war is instead letting the aggressor run rampant," the senators said in a joint statement issued July 3.

The statement followed an analysis by the New York Times (NYT), published July 2, which found that Washington's slowed momentum on sanctions created more opportunities for shell companies to funnel sanctioned goods into Russia.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden imposed an average of 170 new sanctions per month on entities tied to Moscow between 2022-2024, according to the NYT. Overall, the Biden administration slapped 6,200 penalties on individuals, businesses, ships, and aircraft connected to Russia.

Without new sanctions to maintain pressure on Moscow, the effects of the Biden sanctions regime have begun to erode, the NYT reported. An analysis of trade records and other data. showed that over 130 companies in China and Hong Kong are advertising sales of sanctioned computer chips to Russia. Despite this illegal activity, none of the companies have been sanctioned.

Ukraine scrambles to clarify extent of US military aid pause and ‘whether everything will continue’

When the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) halted the transfer of critical air defense missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, Kyiv and its partners were caught off-guard and are now left scrambling for clarity on the scope and length of the Trump administration’s decision. The White House confirmed the halt after a July 1 report by Politico said shipments were paused due to concerns over the size of domestic stockpiles. The decision “was made to put America’s interests first following a DOD rev

The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

"On top of halting key assistance to Ukraine, President Trump has blocked regular updates to our sanctions and export controls for five months and counting—enabling a growing wave of evaders in China and around the world to continue supplying Russia's war machine," Senators Shaheen, Warren, and Coons said in their statement.

The senators called on Trump to "actively enforce the existing sanctions against Russia" and urged the administration to partner with EU and G7 nations to mount pressure on Moscow.

"Instead of taking clearly available steps to pressure the aggressors, President Trump is doing nothing and we will be investigating this missed opportunity to push for an end to this war," they said.

Along with letting U.S. sanctions on the Kremlin go stagnant, the Trump administration has removed sanctions on Karina Rotenberg, the wife of a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and notably exempted Russia from its sweeping "Liberation Day" tariffs.

reportedly obstructed bipartisan congressional efforts to target the Russian economy.  Trump has asked Republican senators to weaken a proposed sanctions bill and has urged delays in a vote on the legislation.

The bipartisan sanctions bill, introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Senate Democrat Richard Blumenthal, seeks to impose a 500% tariff on imports from countries that continue purchasing Russian oil and raw materials.

Ukraine war latest: Putin tells Trump Russia won’t back down from its war aims in Ukraine

Key developments on July 3: * Putin tells Trump Russia won’t back down from its war aims in Ukraine * Deputy commander of Russian Navy killed in Ukrainian strike in Kursk, Russian official confirms * Ukraine signs major drone co-production deal with US Swift Beat, Zelensky announces * Russia targets Ukrainian conscription offices to disrupt mobilization, military spokesperson says after Poltava attack * ‘One of Russia’s most critical targets’ — Ukraine confirms strike on missile battery pl

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk