Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says he ordered intensified contacts with US for deliveries of arms

(Reuters) -Kraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that he ordered the expansion of contacts with the US to ensure critical deliveries of military equipment, primarily air defense.

Zelenskiy published a call to help Washington Donald Trump to send more weapons to Ukraine, especially to the defenders, and to help the country defend itself against Russian progress.

Zelenskiy, every night at the video address, “Today I instructed the Defense Minister and the Commander -in -Chief to intensify all contacts with the American side.” He said.

“We have all the necessary political expressions and decisions at the moment, and we must apply them as quickly as possible to protect our employees and positions,” he said.

Zelenskiy said that the current focus for delivery was on “air defense and other supply elements from the US”.

He continued: “These are critical deliveries that mean saving lives and protecting Ukrainian cities and villages. I am waiting for results from these contacts very soon. And this week we are preparing formats for the meetings of our military and political teams.”

The US Department of Defense said it would send additional defense weapons to Ukraine in the direction of Trump to ensure that Ukrainians can defend themselves.

The US decision to stop some arms shipments to Kiev said that the movement warned to Ukraine.

The Russian army has increased air strikes by drones and missiles to Ukrainian cities in recent weeks.

On Tuesday, Trump expressed his disappointment because Russian President Vladimir Putin could not bring a ceasefire as a part of the movements to secure a peace. He said he was thinking of additional sanctions about Moscow.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Osander Kozhukhar; Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)