Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky touched down in Ankara on July 7 for the NATO summit, with bilateral talks with President Donald Trump scheduled for July 8. The agenda: finding a viable path to ending a war that has now ground on for more than four years.
What’s happening in Ankara
The NATO summit, running July 7-8, comes at a particularly volatile moment in the conflict. Russian forces have recently intensified their assault on Kyiv, launching over 60 missiles and deploying more than 350 drones in recent strikes. The attacks resulted in civilian casualties and underscored a grim reality: Ukraine is running low on the interceptors needed to stop ballistic missiles.
In fact, no ballistic missiles were intercepted in the latest wave of attacks due to interceptor shortages.
That backdrop makes the Zelensky-Trump meeting more than a photo opportunity. Ukraine desperately needs enhanced military aid, particularly Patriot air defense systems, and the summit provides a stage to make that case directly to the leader whose support matters most.
