U. S. President Donald Trump plans to discuss supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday. However, a recent announcement of a potential summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised doubts about this assistance. Trump stated he may meet Putin in Budapest within two weeks following a productive phone call regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine. He emphasized his experience in making deals and expressed hope for a successful outcome.
The conciliatory tone from Trump after speaking with Putin has led to concerns about the immediacy of aid to Ukraine. The Kremlin confirmed the summit but indicated that the details might be worked out later. Trump, who has sought the Nobel Peace Prize, aims to add to his successes in conflict resolution. Despite some territorial gains by Russia, Ukraine’s military commander claimed the Russian offensive had failed.
Putin stated that Russian forces had captured additional land in Ukraine, but both sides have intensified attacks on energy systems. The White House had recently shown frustration with Putin and appeared more inclined to support Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, which Trump’s comments suggest he believes are necessary for Ukraine’s efforts.
Zelenskiy expressed skepticism about the negotiations with Trump, indicating that Moscow is trying to buy time. The Ukrainian public expressed doubt about the results of these discussions, with one social worker saying they have witnessed no tangible outcomes in the past. Some experts believe that Putin’s outreach may be a tactic to prevent the U. S. transfer of missiles to Ukraine.
Analysts noted that while Tomahawk missiles could help Ukraine, they would not guarantee quick success against Russia. Trump has often delayed decisive actions against Russia after talks with Putin. During the recent call, Putin argued that providing long-range missiles would harm peace efforts and US-Russia relations, a sentiment Trump acknowledged with humor about Putin’s likely objections.
with information from Reuters