Putin-Trump call a curveball for Zelensky ahead of White House meeting

Zelensky Faces Unexpected Blow as Trump-Putin Call Steals Ukraine's Spotlight.

News of a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has come as an unwelcome surprise to Kyiv, where the country is being hit hard by Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine.

The last 24 hours have seen dozens of missiles and over 300 drones launched at multiple targets in Ukraine, including civilian infrastructure. The strikes, which have caused significant damage to Ukraine's gas supply network and led to nationwide power outages, are seen as a sign of Russian desperation.

Ukraine's government views the phone call between Trump and Putin as a curveball that could potentially change the dynamics of the conflict. While Zelensky had hoped for more American military assistance to strengthen Ukraine's protection, it seems now that Trump may be considering a different approach.

The issue of Tomahawk missiles, which were seen as a key demand by Ukraine, was discussed during the phone call. However, Putin reinforced his view that their deployment would be seen as a significant act of provocation.

Despite this, some analysts believe that the Tomahawks may not be as crucial to Ukraine's survival as they initially seemed. The issue now is whether Trump will back off on providing them or find an alternative solution.

Trump's willingness to engage with Putin in a phone call and discuss potential peace talks has been seen by some as a sign of weariness with the conflict, but others view it as a classic example of Putin's tactics.

For Ukraine, which faces its fourth winter of war, few have much faith in Trump's ability to turn his "success" in the Middle East into momentum towards peace. As one woman who was badly injured in a Russian strike on a civilian railway carriage put it, "A person like Putin can't be trusted."

The meeting between Zelensky and representatives of defense companies that produce powerful weapons he needs will likely continue to focus on getting more military aid from the US, but Trump's willingness to engage with Putin in a phone call has shaken things up.

I don't know if I'm being paranoid or what, but I kinda think this Trump-Putin thing is good for Ukraine... But at the same time, I'm also like, totally sure it's gonna backfire and we'll end up worse off than before... Like, Putin's not exactly known for his benevolence and all. And even if Trump is trying to be diplomatic, what if he's just using us as some kinda pawn in his game with Putin? On the other hand, maybe this phone call thingy will actually help Ukraine get the military aid we need... I mean, Trump did have a pretty successful presidency in the Middle East, so maybe this is one of those rare times where he'll actually do something right? Ugh, my brain hurts trying to figure out what's going on here...

lol this is gonna be good... so trump thinks he can just pick up the phone and mediate peace talks w/ putin? like how many times has that happened before? it's not like putin has a reputation for being all about peaceful resolutions... meanwhile, ukraine is getting pummeled by russians and trump is over here sipping tea with his buddy putin? not buying it. zelensky needs real military aid, not just empty promises from trump

I'm just wondering what exactly do we mean by "peace" here? Is it about avoiding conflict or actually resolving the issues that led to this war in the first place? I mean, Trump and Putin are always talking about finding a peaceful solution, but when was the last time those words were followed up with actual action? It feels like we're just kicking the can down the road. And what's with our expectation of Ukraine to be the one who sacrifices everything for the sake of "peace"? I guess it just goes back to the idea that we're all just trying to survive in this crazy world, right?

I'm thinking Trump's about to pull a fast one on Ukraine, doesn't matter if it's peace talks or not ... Zelensky's been counting on those Tomahawk missiles for ages now, and this phone call might just take that off the table . What's Putin's endgame here? We know he's all about playing the long game ... Can't say I trust Trump to stick it out till the very end ...

I gotta say, this whole thing is a total mess ... I mean, what's next? Is Trump gonna switch sides and start backing Putin's Russia now? It's like he's playing both sides against each other - that's not leadership, that's just politics as usual . And what about Ukraine, they're getting hammered by Russia and now we're talking about maybe giving them Tomahawk missiles... it's all about the optics, folks . The fact that Trump is even considering alternative solutions to helping Ukraine is concerning - we can't afford to have our allies feeling like they're not a priority. This whole situation is a classic example of the old saying "all politics is local"... except in this case, it's all about global stability ...

Ugh I'm so worried about Ukraine ... this whole thing is just crazy! I feel like they're getting played by both sides, you know? First it's Trump and now Putin are talking again... what's next?! It's hard to see Ukraine getting the help they need from the US when everyone's too busy with their own stuff. Those civilians in Ukraine are just getting hammered , it's not right. Can't we all just get along? The world needs to step up and support Ukraine more. We can't let this war drag on forever... what will happen next?!

OMG, you guys! I'm like, totally concerned about this new twist in the Ukraine situation. It's not cool that Trump-Putin called and now it's like, stealing all the spotlight from Kyiv. The ppl of Ukraine r already goin thru so much, and they need more military aid ASAP! I mean, Putin's tactics r super suspect btw . Can't trust him as far as I can throw my phone .

Trump's "success" in the Middle East don't exactly translate to Ukraine, imo. The ppl there need concrete actions not just empty promises . Zelensky's got a tough road ahead of him, and I'm rooting for him! #TeamUkraine #PeaceForUkraine

lol ukraine is like the ultimate underdog rn i feel bad for them, all these missiles and drones launched at civilians its just wrong
i think trump's call with putin is weird tho, one minute ur helping ur country the next u r negotiating peace with the enemy lol what was he thinking?
anyway, i dont think we should jump to conclusions about trumps intentions though, hes got his own agenda and that might not align w/ ukraines hopes
but omg 300 drones launched in one day thats crazy! whats gonna happen when its winter?

I feel so worried about Ukraine right now... it's like they're being caught in the middle of two big powers who don't seem to care about their safety . The fact that Trump is even talking to Putin about peace talks makes me really nervous, but at the same time I want to hold onto hope that maybe, just maybe, this could be a chance for Ukraine to get some real help . The thought of those civilians being hurt by Russian attacks is heartbreaking ... I can only imagine how scared and frustrated they must be feeling right now .

Trump's call with Putin is weird lol ... I mean what was going through their minds? Ukraine is still getting bombed and now they're trying to negotiate peace talks? It's like, where did all the momentum go for Ukraine? The woman who got injured in a strike is so right though... Putin can't be trusted at all! I don't think Trump's gonna back down on providing those Tomahawk missiles or anything ... [link to news about Ukrainian military aid]

the whole thing is just so puzzling... i mean trump-putin calling each other and now zelensky's left wondering what's going on? does trump really think that's gonna solve anything or is this just another way for putin to get his hands on more tomahawks? i'm just worried about the civilians in ukraine, they're already suffering so much from these attacks... now you're telling me there might be a phone call between trump and putin and everyone's left wondering what that means?

this whole thing is so weird ... like remember when obama was president and russia wasn't such a big deal? now trump is just kinda hanging out with putin on the phone and we're supposed to believe he's gonna magically solve everything? i'm not buying it . and what about zelensky? doesn't he deserve some actual help instead of just hoping for magic? these drone strikes are getting outta control... like when they had those big wars in vietnam and the us couldn't even agree on how to get out of there. now ukraine's fighting for its life and we're over here waiting for trump to make a move .

omg this is crazy , like i was just thinking trump was gonna step it up for ukraine and now this call with putin is throwing everything off kilter . personally i think the tomahawk missiles are still super important for ukraine's survival, they need that firepower to take on russia. Putin's tactics though, really shady . trump's just being too nice to ukraine, it's like he thinks putin's gonna come crawling back with some peace talks or something . but honestly who knows what's going on in those two heads? one thing for sure is that ukraine needs more than just talk, they need real action .

omg i feel like this is soooo bad for ukraine like they're already strugglin to get gas and power back on after all the strikes and now trump is talkin about peace talks?! it feels like he's puttin away his "us vs russia" hat just 'cause he can't be bothered anymore.

i mean what really matters is that ukraine needs more missiles not peace talks those ppl were dyin in the streets cuz of russia's attacks, cant trump see that?!? it feels like everythin is just put on hold for trumps sake and i'm so worried about what's gonna happen next

I don’t usually comment but I gotta say, this Ukraine situation is really messed up . I mean, both sides are just causing so much destruction and hurting innocent people. It’s like, can’t we all just talk it out instead of resorting to violence? Trump’s phone call with Putin is a bit confusing, but at the same time, I guess it’s good that there’s some willingness to discuss peace talks or something .

But what really gets me is how Ukraine's situation has been overshadowed by all this drama . Like, can we please focus on getting more aid and support for the people affected? They're the ones who are really suffering here . And I don’t know about Trump’s plan with Tomahawk missiles, but I just hope they find a solution that doesn't put Ukraine at risk .

I mean, Putin is definitely not someone you can trust, and I think we should be keeping an eye on what he's up to . But let's all try to stay calm and focus on finding a peaceful resolution, okay?

omg yall think trump is gonna just let russia get away with this ? Ukraine is already struggling so much and now it feels like trump is taking away their chance at getting more military aid they really need those tomahawk missiles to defend themselves but now it seems like trumps all like "peace" and its hard to believe that Putin's just trying to play the victim here

I'm not sure if this is a good thing for Ukraine... I mean, Trump-Putin call is always a red flag for me, seems like some kinda backdoor deal going on. What do we know about the details of this call? Where did it happen exactly? Who was present? Can't just take Putin's word for it, needs more info. And what about those Tomahawk missiles? Are they even necessary for Ukraine's survival or is that just a bargaining chip?

I'm telling ya, this whole Ukraine thing is still super messy . I mean, I get why Trump wants to talk to Putin about peace talks and all that jazz, but come on... it's like he thinks Russia's gonna just magically start being nice to Ukraine after a few chats with Trump . And don't even get me started on the whole Tomahawk missiles thing... like, is that really what's gonna make a difference in this war? It feels like we're getting pulled around by Putin's strings again, and it's just not gonna end well for Ukraine .

I'm not saying Trump's all bad or anything (although, TBH, his track record is pretty shaky ), but can't he see that this whole situation is just a mess? It's like we're trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces and expecting everyone to just magically agree on what those pieces should look like . I'm not holding out much hope for Trump to come up with some kind of magic solution here...

can't believe this phone call is stealing all the attention from Ukraine . like, don't get me wrong, Trump and Putin are definitely interesting folks, but can we please focus on getting Ukraine some actual military aid? those ppl on the ground need help ASAP it's not just about Tomahawk missiles, it's about survival. and what's with this whole "desperation" thing from Russia sounds like a classic move to me