US President Donald Trump has downplayed his ability to supply Ukraine with US missiles during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting that the long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles may not be necessary if both sides can agree on a ceasefire. During their more than two-hour talks at the White House, Trump urged Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to "stop the killing" and make peace immediately, even if it means Ukraine conceding territory.
Trump seemed more focused on brokering a peace deal than supplying Ukraine with the missiles that the Ukrainian leader had requested. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for the Tomahawks, saying that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready to launch an offensive against Russian targets and that they don't have the long-range missiles to defend themselves.
However, Trump's tone on providing Ukraine with the missiles was cool to cautious, suggesting that he is hesitant to give away what he sees as crucial tools for national defense. He reiterated his desire to hold onto US weaponry, saying "We want Tomahawks, also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country."
Trump's views on supplying Ukraine with missiles come amid a complex diplomatic landscape where Trump has walked a tightrope between supporting Ukraine and maintaining good relations with Russia under Putin's leadership.
In a surprise phone call on Friday, Trump spoke with Putin and reportedly warned the Russian leader not to give away US missiles, saying "Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition?" However, Putin allegedly told Trump that supplying Kyiv with Tomahawks would cause substantial damage to US-Russian relations.
Trump plans to meet with Putin in Budapest within two weeks, in an effort to end the war. The meeting is seen as a crucial test of Trump's diplomatic skills and his ability to navigate the delicate balance between supporting Ukraine and maintaining good relations with Russia.
The latest developments have sapped some of the momentum Zelenskyy had built with Trump, who appears unlikely to show significant support for Ukraine before meeting Putin. Some analysts are warning that any settlement will require a lot more work and that there is still a misalignment of expectations between Washington and Moscow.
As tensions continue to escalate in Eastern Europe, Trump's views on supplying Ukraine with missiles have raised questions about the US policy towards Russia and its commitment to supporting Ukraine in the face of aggression.
Trump seemed more focused on brokering a peace deal than supplying Ukraine with the missiles that the Ukrainian leader had requested. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for the Tomahawks, saying that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready to launch an offensive against Russian targets and that they don't have the long-range missiles to defend themselves.
However, Trump's tone on providing Ukraine with the missiles was cool to cautious, suggesting that he is hesitant to give away what he sees as crucial tools for national defense. He reiterated his desire to hold onto US weaponry, saying "We want Tomahawks, also. We don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country."
Trump's views on supplying Ukraine with missiles come amid a complex diplomatic landscape where Trump has walked a tightrope between supporting Ukraine and maintaining good relations with Russia under Putin's leadership.
In a surprise phone call on Friday, Trump spoke with Putin and reportedly warned the Russian leader not to give away US missiles, saying "Would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition?" However, Putin allegedly told Trump that supplying Kyiv with Tomahawks would cause substantial damage to US-Russian relations.
Trump plans to meet with Putin in Budapest within two weeks, in an effort to end the war. The meeting is seen as a crucial test of Trump's diplomatic skills and his ability to navigate the delicate balance between supporting Ukraine and maintaining good relations with Russia.
The latest developments have sapped some of the momentum Zelenskyy had built with Trump, who appears unlikely to show significant support for Ukraine before meeting Putin. Some analysts are warning that any settlement will require a lot more work and that there is still a misalignment of expectations between Washington and Moscow.
As tensions continue to escalate in Eastern Europe, Trump's views on supplying Ukraine with missiles have raised questions about the US policy towards Russia and its commitment to supporting Ukraine in the face of aggression.
, but come on, Zelenskyy needs those drones can't launch an offense if they don't have the gear 
. And what's with Trump's tone, is he just being all cautious and stuff or is there something more going on? 
I mean, Ukraine isn't asking for a handout, they're fighting for their country's freedom 
. It's not like we can just sell our missiles to whoever wants them 
. Trump's diplomatic skills are gonna be put to the test with that meeting in Budapest, hoping he doesn't mess it up 
.
. And what about the "ceasefire" he mentioned? Sounds like just a way to get Ukraine to concede territory 
. I'm all for peace, but it needs to be real, you know? Not some watered-down deal that only benefits Russia...
... like, what kinda diplomat downplays their ability to help Ukraine outta a sticky situation? I mean, come on, thousands of drones ready to launch an offensive against Russian targets, and he's all "let's just agree to ceasefire and forget about it"? 
Zelenskyy was right, those Tomahawk missiles are a total game-changer. Trump's all about holding onto his precious US weaponry, but what about the lives at stake? 
...
. Like, yeah, everyone wants a ceasefire and all that, but what if Ukraine isn't ready for it? We can't just sit back and let Russia walk all over them, right? 
. Trump's gotta make sure he's got our backs, but at the same time, I get why he's trying to keep good relations with Russia too...it's all so complicated 
.
Honestly, who needs enemies when you can just offer them a ceasefire? I mean, come on, Trump is basically saying that Ukraine should just roll over and let Russia take what they want because, hey, everyone gets along great... right? 
Like, no kidding, Zelenskyy needs those Tomahawks to defend himself against Russian aggression 
We can't have US leaders making deals that put our allies at risk 
And what's with the "we don't want to give away" thing? That's not how diplomacy works 
Trump said one thing in the meeting and another in his phone call with Putin... which one is it, really? 
. Something's not adding up here, and I'm not buying it... 
The fact that Zelenskyy needs those missiles to counter Russian drones is pretty clear. I'd love to see Trump make a stronger commitment to supporting Ukraine, especially if they're going to meet Putin soon 
. It's not just about giving away military hardware - it's about showing you care about the people affected by this war 
and it's literally blew my mind ! i mean, who needs world politics when you have that kind of flavor explosion in your mouth ? anyway, back to trump... i feel like he's trying too hard to be the peacemaker here 
. what's next, is he gonna give away our entire arsenal just because he wants to make some nice pics with putin for the cameras ? 
i'm not saying it's all about the optics, but come on, dude, get your priorities straight ! and btw, who needs tomahawks when you can just make nice with russia 
?
. It's like asking someone to negotiate with you while carrying a torch 
... Trump needs to make sure the Ukrainians have a good chance of defending themselves before even talking about a ceasefire 
. It's time for Trump to take a strong stance on supporting Ukraine 
. Anything less would be a betrayal of their trust