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Keith Kellogg, the former U.S. envoy to Ukraine, met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Aug. 22 to discuss Ukraine’s urgent need for air defense missiles, as Russia continues to intensify its attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Kellogg, previously regarded as one of the most pro-Ukrainian voices in the White House, left his position in 2025 but said his work in support of Ukraine would continue after leaving his government role.

Zelensky said on social media that he discussed with Kellogg Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot air defense missiles, which the Presidential Office described as an “absolute priority” for Ukraine’s defense needs. Zelensky reiterated to Kellogg the country’s willingness to purchase the interceptor missiles ahead of what is expected to be yet another gruelling winter.

Russia has been exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of protection against ballistic missiles, hammering cities with intense, frequent bombardments. Recent attacks over the last few days killed 16 people at a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih on Aug. 21 and 15 people in Kyiv on Aug. 20.

Kellogg’s visit to Kyiv comes a day after the former official visited Odesa on Aug. 21 as part of a working group analysis Russia’s ongoing attacks on port infrastructure.

The U.S. delegation led by Kellogg was shown the damage from Russian attacks on port infrastructure and briefed on measures being taken to maintain operations, the Infrastructure Ministry said.

Amid Zelensky’s calls for more Patriot interceptor missiles from allies, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Aug. 22 that France will speed up the delivery of missiles and other military equipment following a nearly two-hour-long phone call between the two leaders.

Macron also agreed to help Kyiv in its communications with international partners that possess Patriot air defense systems, according to Zelensky. The president has repeatedly said that Patriots are critical for protecting Ukrainian civilians.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses delegates from the United Russia party as he attends the party’s congress ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Moscow, Russia, August 22, 2026. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

KYIV, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Ukraine thinks Russia is planning ​to draft an additional 300,000 troops for its war effort after Russian parliamentary elections in mid-September, Ukrainian President ‌Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Moscow’s forces are pressing ahead with an effort to capture the rest of eastern Ukraine’s industrialised Donbas region, where its troops have ground forward at what Kyiv says is a great cost.

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In comments to reporters released on Sunday, Zelenskiy said Russia could draft more ​troops in 2027 to reach an overall goal of 500,000, part of what he described as a “peripheral mobilisation” ​targeting Russia’s far-flung regions.

“We believe it will not take place in the central cities,” he said. “But ⁠I don’t think they will be able to hide it very well.”

Parliamentary elections in Russia are set for September ​18 to 20.

As fighting rages around the strategic city of Kostiantynivka, Zelenskiy said Russia was losing a “maximum” amount of troops in ​its bid to advance into Ukraine’s so-called fortress belt of eastern cities.

He also hailed recent gains by Kyiv’s troops in southeastern Ukraine, adding that the amount of territory occupied by Russia and liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2026 would be equal.

RUSSIA RAMPING UP MISSILE OUTPUT, ZELENSKIY SAYS

Russia ​is bolstering its battlefield offensive with an escalating air war on Ukrainian cities made worse by a critical shortage ​of U.S.-designed Patriot interceptors.

Zelenskiy said the 264 interceptors Ukraine is expecting to have received in 2026 represent a significant drop from 2025, when Ukraine ‌received ⁠364, and 2023, when it received 675.

He added that Russia was aiming to develop a capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year.

Over the summer, Ukraine has escalated a campaign of drone strikes targeting Russian economic infrastructure, including oil refineries and online retailers’ warehouses, seeking to destroy infrastructure it says is central to Russia’s war effort.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in ​comments on Saturday that Kyiv ​had opened “Pandora’s box” by striking ⁠economic targets, saying Russia would hit back at Ukraine’s “most sensitive economic sectors”.

UKRAINE BRACES FOR NEW ENERGY STRIKES, FACES FUNDING GAP

Zelenskiy said Ukraine was facing another difficult winter of Russian strikes ​on its energy grid, a prospect that had prompted Kyiv’s air force to ask ​for 360 missile ⁠interceptors for the season.

He also said he had reached an agreement with France on at least one SAMP/T air-defence system this year, and with Germany on the supply of about 600 PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors through 2028.

Ukraine’s war effort is further complicated by ⁠a $27 ​billion defence funding gap this year, Zelenskiy said, a result of higher-than-expected ​spending in the first half of the year.

At least $8 billion is needed for “a normal start” to 2027, plus about $20 billion more for military salaries, payments ​to families of the dead, as well as other financing, he added.

Writing by Dan Peleschuk;
Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Helen Popper

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