Ukraine's Zelensky met with leaders of US defense companies in Washington..."
Right, just like after 1776 US representatives Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson & others met with French, Dutch, German, Spanish & other defense companies in Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid & elsewhere.
These eventually resulted in massive aid coming to Continental Army Gen. Washington, leading to victory at Yorktown in 1781.
Aid from France especially was so massive it helped drive the French king into bankruptcy, causing him to call for actions which eventually cost the king and his bride their heads.
This is how wars for independence are sometimes fought.