Vladimir Putin dismissed the weapon as old and said Russia’s missile systems would be able to shoot it down. "The Patriot air defence is outdated. An antidote will always be found … Russia will knock down the Patriot system," he declared on Thursday.

'All armed conflicts end through negotiations'

The Russian president said "all armed conflicts end through negotiations" – implying that Ukraine would ultimately be forced to cede territory in exchange for peace. "The sooner this becomes clear to Kyiv, the better," he added.

In a call with reporters, Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said there were no signs from Zelenskiy’s meeting with the US president, Joe Biden, on Wednesday that Ukraine was ready for talks.

Peskov suggested the US was fighting a proxy war with Russia and was determined to keep going "to the last Ukrainian".

During his first foreign trip since the invasion began in February, the Ukrainian president gave a defiant address to a joint session of the US Congress. He said his country would never give in to Russian aggression and that the White House’s continued support was key to the ultimate victory.

Zelenskiy received multiple standing ovations as he stressed that the outcome of the war would determine the future world order. "It will define whether it will be a democracy – for Ukrainians and Americans – for all," he said. He predicted that 2023 would be a "turning point" in Ukraine’s struggle to liberate its territory.

Ukraine to get $1.85 billion new military assistance

Biden announced $1.85 billion in new military assistance to Kyiv, including the delivery of a Patriot missile battery system. Zelenskiy said this would significantly enhance Ukraine’s air defence shield and prevent Russia from hitting critical infrastructure – "our cities, our energy".

The success of Zelenskiy’s US trip poses a strategic dilemma for Putin. The US-led, anti-Kremlin coalition is holding up, more than 10 months into the war, contrary to Moscow’s expectations. The latest round of American security assistance will make it hard for Russia to advance in the spring, despite an influx of fresh troops after mobilisation.

In Kyiv, the general staff claimed that Moscow had lost 100 400 troops since late February, as well as more than 3000 tanks, nearly 6000 fighting vehicles and 283 planes. The figures are difficult to verify independently. But there is no doubt that the Russian casualty rate is high.

The Guardian