US President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a tense meeting on Friday that he does not intend to deliver long-range “Tomahawk” cruise missiles to Ukraine, at least for now.
According to Axios, citing two sources familiar with the conversation, Zelenskyy came to Washington with the goal of securing new weapons for the Ukrainian army, but he was met by the President in a completely different mood, just one day after he held a long phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the sources, Trump clearly stated that his priority now is diplomacy and that the delivery of “Tomahawk” missiles could jeopardize those efforts.
One source described the meeting as “not easy at all,” while the second said it “was bad.” “No one raised their voice, but Trump was extremely firm,” said the first interlocutor for Axios. The second added that “the President made some very harsh statements, and at one point the atmosphere became quite emotional.”
The meeting was adjourned after two and a half hours when Trump said:
“I think we’re done. We’ll see what happens next week,” alluding to the upcoming talks between the United States and Russia. Trump, according to the same sources, plans a meeting with Putin in Budapest in the next few weeks.
During the conversation with Zelenskyy, Trump conveyed in detail the content of his previous phone conversation with Putin. He pointed out that the current US proposal for a “diplomatic solution” involves ending the war by freezing the current front lines, which is very difficult for Kyiv to accept.
After the meeting, Trump announced on his Truth Social network that the meeting was “interesting” and “cordial,” and added that he told both Zelenskyy and Putin that it was “time to stop where they are.”
“Let both declare victory, let history decide,” Trump wrote before leaving for Mar-a-Lago without addressing reporters.
Zelenskyy, on the other hand, held a video conference with European leaders immediately after the meeting, who, according to sources, remained confused by the sudden change in the US position. Soon after, European leaders began issuing coordinated statements of support for Ukraine, which is interpreted as a clear signal that the conversation at the White House did not go well.
Strong Pressure from Zelenskyy
At a press briefing, Zelenskyy confirmed that they discussed “Tomahawk” missiles, but he said they agreed not to talk about it publicly “to avoid escalation.” When asked if he believed that the US would still approve the delivery, he replied: “I am a realist.”
According to Axios, in reality, Zelenskyy strongly pressed Trump to approve the “Tomahawks,” but the US president remained firm and showed no flexibility.
During the call with European leaders, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed working jointly with Washington on drafting a peace plan for Ukraine, modeled after Trump’s “20-Point Plan” for Gaza. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also proposed an emergency meeting of national security advisers over the weekend.
According to the chief of staff of the Ukrainian president, Zelenskyy’s main goal during the visit to the US was to secure American commitments not only for the “Tomahawk,” but also for other weapons systems that Ukraine wants to receive. Trump, however, did not make any promises.
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Source: B92, Photo: Printscreen X