Trump calls Zelenskyy "courageous" as NATO seeks more support for Kyiv

US President Donald Trump has praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s leadership and the resilience of Ukraine’s armed forces, as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called for sustained military support to help Kyiv withstand Russia’s intensifying attacks.

Speaking during a meeting with Rutte in the Oval Office on June 24, Trump said Zelenskyy was performing well under difficult circumstances in the war against Russia.

“You have to say he’s courageous,” Trump said of Zelenskyy. “He’s got great equipment. He’s got great men. He’s got fighters.”

Trump also said Zelenskyy was “doing pretty well” and “holding his own” against Russian forces, although he stopped short of suggesting that Ukraine was winning the conflict.

The remarks came as Ukraine continues to press its allies for additional air defence systems, interceptors and long-range capabilities to counter a renewed wave of Russian strikes on cities and critical infrastructure.

Trump and Zelenskyy most recently met at the G7 summit in France, where leaders agreed to increase pressure on Russia in an effort to end the war, now in its fifth year.

Following that meeting, Trump signalled renewed interest in reimposing sanctions on Russian oil, raising the prospect of tougher economic measures against Moscow.

Rutte’s visit to Washington comes at a pivotal moment for Ukraine, with Kyiv seeking assurances that Western military assistance will continue despite growing pressure on allied stockpiles.

The NATO chief said allied weapons inventories needed to be replenished urgently to sustain support for Ukraine while maintaining the alliance’s own defence readiness.

A key mechanism in that effort is the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), through which European allies and Canada finance the purchase of American-made weapons and military equipment for Ukraine.

By Aghakazim Guliyev