UPDATE 1-Zelenskiy hopes Middle East agreement can lead to peace with Russia

"The language of strength and justice is sure to work with respect to Russia as well." Zelenskiy did not refer directly to Trump's agreement, in a telephone conversation on Thursday, to hold new talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday, on the eve of talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, that momentum in the Middle East peace process would help end his country's more than 3-1/2-year-old war with Russia.

"We have a meeting planned with President Trump tomorrow and we are counting on the impulse to curb terror and war which worked in the Middle East to help end Russia's war against Ukraine," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "The language of strength and justice is sure to work with respect to Russia as well."

Zelenskiy did not refer directly to Trump's agreement, in a telephone conversation on Thursday, to hold new talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But he said it was clear that "upon hearing of Tomahawks, Moscow is in a hurry to renew dialogue", a reference to Trump's suggestion that he might provide Kyiv with those missiles.

Zelenskiy said he was meeting with representatives of defence companies, "manufacturers of powerful weapons that can definitely strengthen our defences", including air defence systems to guard against attacks on energy infrastructure.