Witkoff and Kushner agree to visit Kyiv for the first time

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner have reportedly agreed to visit Kyiv for the first time as part of renewed U.S. efforts to help end Russia's war against Ukraine.

According to the report by The Financial Times, the decision followed the latest meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump in Washington. The visit would mark a significant step in Washington's renewed diplomatic engagement with Kyiv as both sides work to develop a new framework for peace negotiations.

The Financial Times says the improved relationship between Trump and Zelensky reflects months of direct engagement between their advisers. According to sources familiar with the discussions, Zelensky's strategy has been to persuade Trump that supporting Ukraine serves U.S. interests while appealing to the president's desire to be associated with a successful diplomatic outcome.

The report also says Trump has become increasingly critical of Russian leader Vladimir Putin's unwillingness to compromise and more receptive to Ukraine's recent battlefield successes. At the same time, some supporters of Trump's "America First" agenda remain skeptical about maintaining long-term U.S. support for Ukraine.

The Boeing Company refuses to provide Ukraine with the license to produce homing heads for Patriot missiles

The United States will not provide Ukraine with a license to produce key components for Patriot missiles. According to German newspaper Die Welt, Boeing refuses to grant Ukraine permission to manufacture the seeker heads — the guidance systems — for these air defense missiles. This decision seriously complicates Ukraine’s efforts to produce Patriot missiles locally and strengthen its air defenses against Russian attacks.

Without access to this critical technology, Ukraine will not be able to manufacture the necessary missiles for Patriot systems on its own territory. This situation leaves Kyiv even more dependent on limited Western supplies, which have been arriving too slowly and in insufficient quantities. Many experts see this as a significant obstacle in building a sustainable long-term defense against Russia’s massive missile and drone campaigns.

The refusal by Boeing highlights the difficulties Ukraine faces when trying to develop its own military production capabilities during the war. While Ukrainian engineers have made progress in other areas, such as drones, the most advanced Western technologies remain strictly controlled. This latest development is likely to increase pressure on Western partners to either supply more ready-made Patriots or find alternative solutions to support Ukraine’s air defense needs.

Zelensky asked Trump for an emergency winter package of Patriot air defence missiles

President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to urgently provide Ukraine with 300 Patriot interceptor missiles before winter, warning that Russia is escalating its ballistic missile campaign and that domestic production will take too long.

In an interview with Axios, Zelensky said Trump agreed during their July 28 meeting to speed up licensing for the production of Patriot interceptors in Ukraine. However, he noted that even with production licenses, it would take one to five years before Ukraine could manufacture a significant number of missiles.

Zelensky said that timeline is unacceptable given the current pace of Russian attacks. According to the president, Russia now launches 30 to 40 ballistic missiles during each large-scale strike and carries out three to five such attacks every month. He added that Trump promised to try to help but acknowledged that supplying additional interceptors is complicated by U.S. demand for the missiles in the conflict with Iran.

The Ukrainian leader also said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to further escalate the war and could attempt to provoke other countries in the region to secure a victory he can present to the Russian public. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is willing to share military technologies and expertise with the United States in exchange for Patriot interceptor missiles, arguing that such cooperation would be both faster and more cost-effective.

Zelensky added that his relationship with Trump has improved as the dynamics of the war have changed, describing their current interactions as more constructive and less emotional than before.