Zelensky meets Trump, Ukraine attacks oil refineries

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in a diplomatic push for continued American support, hours before Ukrainian forces launched a major drone strike on Russian oil infrastructure. The meeting focused on Ukraine's urgent need for advanced air defense systems and efforts to revive stalled peace negotiations.

Zelensky described the talks as "good," while Trump called the meeting a "Great Honor." A key discussion point was the potential for the U.S. to grant licenses allowing Ukraine to domestically manufacture Patriot air defense missile interceptors, a move Trump had signaled support for earlier in July. Zelensky stated that strengthening Ukraine's air defenses was his top priority. The Ukrainian president also met with more than 60 U.S. senators to advocate for new sanctions on Russia and held discussions with executives from defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon regarding weapons cooperation and joint production.

The diplomatic engagement was immediately followed by military action. In the early hours of Wednesday, July 29, Ukrainian forces struck two major Russian oil refineries in...