Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker to discuss the results of the NATO summit in Ankara and future defense cooperation between Ukraine and the United States, according to the Ukrainian president’s office on July 22, 2026. The talks focused on measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, including agreements allowing the production of missiles for Patriot systems. Zelenskyy also briefed Whitaker on the battlefield situation, saying that Russian forces did not currently hold the initiative. The officials discussed progress toward a future Drone Deal between Ukraine and the United States. Zelenskyy said Ukraine could now send drones to the United States for testing and noted that documents already signed had brought the countries closer to completing the agreement. Zelenskyy thanked Whitaker for his role in implementing the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL, initiative. Whitaker said the program had generated nearly $8 billion in U.S. equipment funded by European countries and should continue expanding. During the meeting, Zelenskyy also awarded Ukraine’s Order of Merit, Third Class, to Lieutenant General Curtis Buzzard, commander of NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine mission and the Security Assistance Group–Ukraine. Post navigation OSCE Representatives Back Ukraine Support Zelenskyy Calls for More Pressure