On the 4th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone call to discuss cooperation on Ukraine's air defense. This was just a day after Trump indicated there had been no progress in his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to U.S. media Axios, during the call on this day, President Trump reportedly told President Zelensky, "I want to provide air defense support. I will check on any outstanding issues." It was also reported that officials from both countries agreed to meet to discuss air defense and other weapons provision issues.
After the call, President Zelensky posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "I had a very important and productive conversation with President Trump. I congratulate President Trump and the American people on the occasion of America's Independence Day and thank them for all their support for Ukraine." He went on to say, "We spoke about opportunities for air defense and agreed to cooperate to enhance protection over our skies."
He also noted, "We had detailed discussions about defense industry capabilities and joint production," adding that "we are ready to undertake projects with the U.S., particularly emphasizing the importance of security regarding drones and related technologies."
On the 3rd (local time), President Trump discussed a ceasefire related to the Ukraine war during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but noted, "No progress was made." Just hours after the call, on the night of the 3rd to 4th, Russia launched its largest airstrike since the start of the war, deploying 550 drones and missiles. In Kyiv alone, 23 people were injured.