Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy ‘realistic’ about chances of Tomahawk missile deal

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to have made a pragmatic assessment of his chances of securing long-range Tomahawk missiles from the US. Speaking in an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, he acknowledged that the door is not entirely closed, despite the fact that Donald Trump did not explicitly say "yes" to providing Kyiv with the highly advanced weaponry.

However, Zelenskyy made it clear that Ukraine's military needs access to Tomahawks, citing their inability to operate effectively without them. The Ukrainian president emphasized the need for precision firepower in its ongoing conflict against Russian forces, pointing out that relying solely on drones would not be sufficient.

Trump's stance on providing Kyiv with Tomahawk missiles remains uncertain, with the US President suggesting an end to the war and encouraging both sides to "claim victory" and let History decide. Zelenskyy appeared open to this idea, stating that it is essential for Ukraine to protect as many lives as possible, guarantee its security, and strengthen cooperation in Europe.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his country's unwavering commitment to Ukraine, vowing continued support with humanitarian aid and military assistance. European leaders, including Germany, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Rutte, and Antonio Costa, also participated in a coordinated call, emphasizing their shared goal of protecting lives and guaranteeing security.

In related news, the Kremlin has floated an ambitious proposal to build a rail tunnel under the Bering Strait, linking Russia and the US. Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin's investment envoy, suggested this massive infrastructure project could be built in under eight years for approximately $8 billion, with funding from Moscow and international partners.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces had taken control of three more villages in eastern Ukraine, including one in the Dnipropetrovsk region and two in the north-eastern Kharkiv region. While Ukraine acknowledged fighting around some of these areas, it has not confirmed any changes in territorial control.

[Image of a confused Bill Nye the Science Guy with a thought bubble saying "Tomahawk missiles?"]

[GIF of a train tunnel being built with a speedometer on it that says "8 years"!] $8B

[Image of Donald Trump shrugging and saying "I'm not saying yes, I'm just saying... "]

[GIF of a drone flying around with a big X marked through it]

I'm no expert, but I think Zelenskyy's got a good shot at getting those Tomahawks . I mean, Trump did say "no" once, but that's kinda like saying "no" to pizza – it doesn't really stick . And let's be real, who wouldn't want precision firepower in the middle of a war? I'd wanna have my cake and eat it too, or in this case, my Tomahawk missiles .

The rail tunnel idea under the Bering Strait sounds like a wild goose chase though . Like, who needs to travel between Russia and the US by train when you can just fly over or build a bridge? It's gotta be around $8 billion for that? That's like buying a new Tesla every day for 4 years .

I'm more worried about those villages in eastern Ukraine . I hope both sides are being careful out there, no one wants any more casualties . Maybe they can just have a dance party instead of fighting, that always seems to work out well

So Trump is basically saying let's all just pretend we're winning this war and call it a day? Like that's gonna magically resolve things... meanwhile the real deal on those Tomahawk missiles is still up in the air, but I guess you could say Zelenskyy is being his usual diplomatic self, trying not to ruffle any feathers. On the bright side, the EU is sticking together and offering some decent support, even if they're not getting too carried away with the whole "taking a strong stance" thing. Can't say I blame them, though - Putin's got a reputation for being, well... you know.

Still think Trump's handling of this situation is all about politics rather than actually helping Ukraine ...like a real leader would

I'm like really wondering why we're even talking about giving more advanced weaponry to Ukraine... don't get me wrong, I feel for them and all , but have we thought this through? Like, what's the end game here? Is it just gonna lead to more deaths and destruction on both sides? Trump's "let History decide" comment is giving me major pause... doesn't that just mean letting Putin get away with whatever he wants? And what about those Tomahawk missiles? Like, how are they even supposed to be effective in this mess? Just drones aren't gonna cut it, I guess. Meanwhile, the Kremlin's trying to distract us from their own problems... building a rail tunnel under the Bering Strait? Come on . It's just more of the same old geopolitics drama . Can we please focus on finding actual solutions rather than just passing the buck around?

I dont get why trump is being all vague about giving uk raine tomahawk missiles. like, ur country is getting destroyed and u cant even commit to giving them the arms they need? i get that he wants peace but is it too much to ask for him to just say yes or no? its not like ukraine is asking for a kidney transplant here... they want some basic military hardware to defend themselves. Putin is just playing dumb about this rail tunnel project, probably trying to distract us from the whole tomahawk missile thing. i hope zelenskyy can wriggle out of this one and get what he needs before its too late.

"Think Trump's 'let History decide' is a fancy way of saying we're gonna leave Ukraine to fend for itself "

I'm still waiting for Trump to spill the tea on those Tomahawk missiles ... if Ukraine needs them that badly, maybe they should be prepared to take things into their own hands? I mean, it's like that time when Tony Stark went rogue and built his own Iron Man suit . Zelenskyy seems pragmatic, but we'll see how far he can push Trump's buttons . On the other hand, Russia's plan to build a tunnel under the Bering Strait? That's some next-level crazy talk! I mean, who needs that much cash for a pipe dream? Meanwhile, the Europeans are all about supporting Ukraine and being all diplomatic... let's see if they can make it happen .

I think Zelenskyy is trying to negotiate with Trump without making a big deal out of it . He knows Tomahawks are crucial for the war and wants to avoid escalating tensions ️. I'm not surprised Trump is being cryptic about it, though - politics can be weird .

The fact that Starmer and other European leaders are committing to Ukraine's cause is super cool . It's awesome to see allies standing strong . The idea of a rail tunnel under the Bering Strait? ... sounds crazy expensive for what, exactly? I don't get it .

Russia taking control of villages in eastern Ukraine isn't new . The conflict has been ongoing for years, and Ukraine's losses are staggering . We need to keep supporting both sides without picking favorites .

Trump's stance on providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine is still super unclear ... I mean, I get why Zelenskyy needs them, but at the same time, Trump saying "let History decide" kinda sounds like he's just outta touch with what's going on there . And can we talk about how crazy that rail tunnel idea from Russia is? $8 billion and 8 years? Like, who even has that kind of cash to spare?

OMG I'm low-key worried about Ukraine they need those Tomahawk missiles ASAP their military is doing a great job, but precision firepower is key in this war and relying on drones alone isn't gonna cut it Zelenskyy seems to be thinking clearly tho maybe Trump's "let History decide" thing will help bring an end to the war would love to see Ukraine get the support they need, fingers crossed