The Kremlin's calculated move to placate the US president has given Ukraine a long-range curveball. President Volodymyr Zelensky had hoped for more American military assistance in his battle against Russia, but instead he has been handed a tantalizing prospect - permission from Donald Trump to purchase long-range Tomahawk missiles.
The phone call between Trump and Putin on Thursday was seen as a masterstroke by the Kremlin. It appears that the Russian president successfully appealed to Trump's frustration with Ukraine and convinced him to back off his threats of tougher sanctions or more destructive weapons.
Zelensky, however, is not one to be easily placated. He has been met with optimism about the possibility of Tomahawk missiles being deployed in Ukraine, which would give its military a significant advantage over Russia. However, Trump's willingness to give them was always in doubt, and this sudden change of heart has left many questioning whether it will come to fruition.
The pattern is familiar - every time Trump grows increasingly frustrated with Putin's intransigence over Ukraine, he is placated by a conversation with the Russian president. This is not the first time that Trump has backed down from his threats in favor of a phone call with Putin, and many are starting to wonder whether this is just a game.
As Ukraine faces its fourth winter of war, few people believe that Trump's claim that he can turn his "success" in the Middle East into momentum towards peace in Ukraine. The issue of Tomahawk missiles remains a contentious one, and it is unclear what concessions Putin will have to make for them to be deployed.
One thing is certain - Russia is being given something by this latest development. The country's military is currently engaged in a battle with Ukraine for control of the railways, which are crucial for transporting troops, equipment, and supplies. This latest wave of attacks has left many civilians dead or injured, and it is unclear how long the conflict will last.
For now, Ukraine has been given a long-range curveball instead of the Tomahawk missiles they so desperately need. The country's government faces an uncertain future as it struggles to stay one step ahead of its enemy, while Trump's intentions remain as opaque as ever.
The phone call between Trump and Putin on Thursday was seen as a masterstroke by the Kremlin. It appears that the Russian president successfully appealed to Trump's frustration with Ukraine and convinced him to back off his threats of tougher sanctions or more destructive weapons.
Zelensky, however, is not one to be easily placated. He has been met with optimism about the possibility of Tomahawk missiles being deployed in Ukraine, which would give its military a significant advantage over Russia. However, Trump's willingness to give them was always in doubt, and this sudden change of heart has left many questioning whether it will come to fruition.
The pattern is familiar - every time Trump grows increasingly frustrated with Putin's intransigence over Ukraine, he is placated by a conversation with the Russian president. This is not the first time that Trump has backed down from his threats in favor of a phone call with Putin, and many are starting to wonder whether this is just a game.
As Ukraine faces its fourth winter of war, few people believe that Trump's claim that he can turn his "success" in the Middle East into momentum towards peace in Ukraine. The issue of Tomahawk missiles remains a contentious one, and it is unclear what concessions Putin will have to make for them to be deployed.
One thing is certain - Russia is being given something by this latest development. The country's military is currently engaged in a battle with Ukraine for control of the railways, which are crucial for transporting troops, equipment, and supplies. This latest wave of attacks has left many civilians dead or injured, and it is unclear how long the conflict will last.
For now, Ukraine has been given a long-range curveball instead of the Tomahawk missiles they so desperately need. The country's government faces an uncertain future as it struggles to stay one step ahead of its enemy, while Trump's intentions remain as opaque as ever.
Trump's phone calls with Putin are like a game of chess, but Ukraine is stuck in the middle 
. Can we trust the missiles will actually arrive or just be a pawn in Russia's move? 
. But for real though, this is a huge curveball for Ukraine - having the option to get those Tomahawk missiles would be a total game-changer in the war against Russia 
. I don't know what's going on with Trump and Putin's dynamic, but it's clear that they're playing a super tricky game 
. And on the other hand, Russia just got some major concessions out of this deal without having to give up much themselves 
. It's like they're playing a masterclass in geopolitics here 
.
.
is this just a game of keep putting pressure on ukraine then backing down when Putin gives in? i don't get it
. And what's with Trump's track record of backing down from tough decisions? Is he really that easily swayed? 
. It seems like this is all just a game, and I'm not sure who's going to come out on top in the end 
the railways are gettin' destroyed left & right tho it's a mess over there 
Tomahawk missiles would've been game changers but now they're just a maybe 
meanwhile russia is just sitting there enjoying the uncertainty and waiting for trump to make another move 
But at the same time, we gotta wonder if it's all just talk and no action from Trump. I'm so down for some optimism here though, maybe this is the push Zelensky needs to keep going! 
, i mean who needs tomahawk missiles when you can get trump to back off his threats? 
seriously though, it's like they're playing us like fools - every time trump gets frustrated with putin, he just calms down after talking to him. it's like a never-ending game of cat and mouse 
. meanwhile, ukraine is stuck in this bloody war for what feels like forever 
, and trump's claim that he can turn his "success" in the middle east into momentum towards peace in ukraine? please 
. It's like they're playing a game of chess, but the stakes are way too high. I mean, what's in it for Trump? Is he just trying to save face or is there something more going on here? 
.
. Like, did the US just give Russia a free pass to keep taking over Ukraine's railways? 
. And what about the Tomahawk missiles? Will they ever even show up in Ukraine? 
.
. Like, what did he just do? 
. They need those missiles to fight back against Russia and it's like Trump is just messing with them 
.
. The railways are super important for both sides, and now Ukraine is fighting on two fronts 
. It's going to be a long winter for them 
. I'm just hoping they can figure out what's going on with Trump and get some real help 
. Maybe someone will put their foot down and tell him to stop messing around 
!
i hope someone figures out how to stop this war soon 
i'm not saying Putin is perfect either, but can't we just have one stable peace agreement for once? 