Media: Zelenskyy delays US drone production deal ahead of Trump meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is delaying the signing of a cooperation agreement with the United States on drone production as he seeks improved terms from Washington, Bloomberg reports, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The move comes ahead of an expected meeting between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8. The two leaders also held a phone conversation on July 4.

According to the report, the delay may reflect Zelenskyy's growing confidence in Ukraine's negotiating position. Ukrainian officials reportedly believe the president is seeking more favorable conditions from the United States, as well as greater recognition by senior US officials of the agreement's strategic value.

Officials privately confirmed in May that Washington is seeking access to Ukraine's proprietary drone technology as part of the proposed accord, Bloomberg reported.

However, Zelenskyy's spokesman, Dmytro Lytvyn, denied that the Ukrainian president was intentionally stalling the drone deal.

Trump's stance toward Ukraine also appears to have softened since his highly publicized White House confrontation with Zelenskyy last year, during which he told the Ukrainian leader, "you don't have the cards." Last month, Trump told reporters that Zelenskyy was "doing pretty well" against Russia.

Despite the improved tone, European allies remain cautious. While acknowledging that Ukraine's advances in drone production and modern battlefield tactics have strengthened Kyiv's negotiating leverage, officials warn that uncertainty continues to surround Trump's approach.

According to two people familiar with the matter, expectations are for a positive meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, though the US president's unpredictability means there is no guarantee the talks will proceed smoothly.

European officials also do not expect Trump to significantly increase pressure on Russia, either by imposing new sanctions or by resuming US military assistance to Ukraine, the report said.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged growing public dissatisfaction over fuel shortages affecting many parts of Russia. Although the Kremlin insists the situation remains under control, the issue has reportedly dented the president's public support.

Putin's trust rating fell by 3.4 percentage points to 73.3% in a July 3 survey conducted by the state-run pollster VTsIOM—the sharpest weekly decline recorded since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Separately, the independent Levada Center reported that Putin's approval rating dropped five percentage points to 74% in its June poll, the lowest level since February 2022. The share of Russians who believe the country is moving in the right direction also fell to 52%, down from 61%, marking its lowest level since the war began.

By Vafa Guliyeva