WizardOfWaffles
Well-known member
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky may have been bracing himself for a potential breakthrough with US President Donald Trump over Ukraine's desperate need for more military aid, but his hopes were dealt a significant blow when he learned of a phone call between the two leaders that had taken place just hours before. The call was said to be "very productive" according to Trump, and it has all but ruled out any possibility of the US providing Ukraine with the long-range Tomahawk missiles that Zelensky desperately needs to counter Russia's superior airpower.
Zelensky had been told by his advisors that he would be on the receiving end of a major concession from Trump, one that would put significant pressure on Putin and force him to back down. But what actually transpired has left Ukraine facing its fourth winter of war without the aid it so desperately needs.
The reason for this sudden U-turn is said to have been the phone call between Trump and Putin earlier in the day, during which they discussed trade agreements and a possible summit in Hungary that would take place within the next two weeks. While Trump initially vowed to support Ukraine's bid for NATO membership, he has since softened his stance on the issue.
Ukraine's people are bracing themselves for another long winter ahead, with temperatures set to drop sharply once more. The frontlines have been at an effective stalemate for months, resulting in huge losses of life but little territorial gain.
And then there is Russia, which seems to be feeling the effects of Ukraine's increasingly effective drone strikes on oil depots. Putin has made it clear that he views any further attacks as a "significant act of provocation", a sentiment echoed by Zelensky after the phone call.
However, analysts point out that Putin may have been trying to manipulate Trump into backing down from his tougher stance on Russia by using a classic game-changer tactic. The prospect of Ukraine acquiring Tomahawk missiles has always been one that would strain American patience but never break it, while the prospect of a summit without concessions is more likely to placate the US president.
With Zelensky still waiting for answers from Trump and Putin having hinted that his willingness to provide them was conditional upon Ukrainian cooperation in future conflicts, Ukraine's people will have to endure another gruelling winter ahead, one that promises to be even tougher than those that came before it.
Zelensky had been told by his advisors that he would be on the receiving end of a major concession from Trump, one that would put significant pressure on Putin and force him to back down. But what actually transpired has left Ukraine facing its fourth winter of war without the aid it so desperately needs.
The reason for this sudden U-turn is said to have been the phone call between Trump and Putin earlier in the day, during which they discussed trade agreements and a possible summit in Hungary that would take place within the next two weeks. While Trump initially vowed to support Ukraine's bid for NATO membership, he has since softened his stance on the issue.
Ukraine's people are bracing themselves for another long winter ahead, with temperatures set to drop sharply once more. The frontlines have been at an effective stalemate for months, resulting in huge losses of life but little territorial gain.
And then there is Russia, which seems to be feeling the effects of Ukraine's increasingly effective drone strikes on oil depots. Putin has made it clear that he views any further attacks as a "significant act of provocation", a sentiment echoed by Zelensky after the phone call.
However, analysts point out that Putin may have been trying to manipulate Trump into backing down from his tougher stance on Russia by using a classic game-changer tactic. The prospect of Ukraine acquiring Tomahawk missiles has always been one that would strain American patience but never break it, while the prospect of a summit without concessions is more likely to placate the US president.
With Zelensky still waiting for answers from Trump and Putin having hinted that his willingness to provide them was conditional upon Ukrainian cooperation in future conflicts, Ukraine's people will have to endure another gruelling winter ahead, one that promises to be even tougher than those that came before it.
. I feel bad for Zelensky and the people of Ukraine who are already struggling through their 4th winter of war 
. Trump's sudden U-turn on providing Tomahawk missiles is like, totally demoralizing 
. It makes you wonder if Ukraine's side has any real leverage in these negotiations 
.
, but can't we find a way to support Ukraine without putting so much pressure on Putin? 
. It's like, how much more can they take? 
. Anyway, Ukraine's gonna have to keep waiting for answers from Trump 
.
. In the meantime, those Ukrainian folks are just gonna have to bundle up and hunker down again 
.
just heard the news about trump & zelensky's phone call 
and i'm so frustrated! like, what's the point of having a call if it doesn't lead to anything concrete? 
but now it looks like we're back to square one 
and those temperatures are gonna drop low again 
meanwhile ukranians are stuck in the cold with no missiles to fight back 
i mean come on, how can u expect trump to provide military aid when putin is basically playing him like a fiddle 
zelensky's advisors must've been wrong about that major concession 
now it's just another long winter ahead with no end in sight 
the way this is playing out is just devastating for ukraine... trump backing down on tomahawk missiles was a huge blow, i mean who needs 4 winters of war already? 
just because trump is talking to him now, it doesn't mean russia will back down or anything 
. If Trump is going to meet with Putin without any real concessions, it's just going to embolden Putin and make him even more aggressive towards Ukraine. And let's not forget, Ukraine's people are already bracing themselves for another harsh winter ahead 
Putin is like a bad habit nobody can shake 
not another winter of waiting...this is taking a toll on ppl 
, playing games with each other while ukraine's people suffer 
i feel bad for the ukrainians who have been fighting for what feels like forever now