President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with US Senators Richard Blumenthal and James Lankford.

This was reported on the President of Ukraine’s website.

The meeting took place on 23 August, following the National Prayer Breakfast. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the senators for visiting Ukraine on National Flag Day and on the eve of Independence Day.

The President stressed the need to pass the bill on tightening sanctions against Russia as quickly as possible — legislation on which the late Senator Lindsey Graham had worked.

According to the President, sanctions should become one of the instruments for compelling Russia to end the war through diplomacy.

“We are grateful for the support for Ukraine. Lindsey Graham was a great friend of our country. Tighter sanctions could be very painful for Russia,” the President stressed.

The head of state separately thanked US President Donald Trump and his team for their efforts to achieve peace.

At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Russia continues to escalate its missile terror, attacking Ukrainian infrastructure and the agricultural sector, including with ballistic missiles.

Ukraine therefore needs additional air defence assets, above all interceptor missiles, to prepare for the winter period and protect critical infrastructure.

The President also told the senators about Ukraine’s work on obtaining licences to produce missiles for Patriot systems domestically.

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, developing its own production of such missiles is one of Ukraine’s main priorities.