ISTANBUL
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that US President Donald Trump will still provide Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles following a meeting with his counterpart in Washington, DC, last week.
On Friday, Zelenskyy and Trump held a meeting at the White House, which the US president defined as “very interesting and cordial.” The Ukrainian president said that he and Trump discussed key issues, including the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, as well as long-range capabilities and air defense for Kyiv.
In an interview with NBC News following the talks, which aired on Sunday, Zelenskyy reaffirmed his country’s need for Tomahawk missiles, which would allow Kyiv to strike deep into Russian territory.
“It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, didn’t say ‘yes,’” Zelenskyy said, adding: “But I count on (the) continuation of this dialogue.”
When asked about Trump's shift in tone regarding potential Tomahawk deliveries to Ukraine following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Zelenskyy argued that the issue is "very sensitive for Russians."
“I think that Putin (is) afraid that (the) United States will deliver us Tomahawks. And I think that he (is) really afraid that we will use (them),” he went on to say.
Earlier this month, Trump said he was close to deciding whether to send Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, which the Ukrainian president said he requested from him in September during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's 80th session in New York.
Putin has voiced concern about the United States sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, warning that this would "destroy" US-Russian relations and lead to a "completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation."
Budapest summit
Regarding peace talks surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelenskyy said he does not think Putin is ready for “real peace negotiations,” including for the negotiations in the Hungarian capital.
“But, if … President (Trump) will (put) pressure on him (Putin), and if Putin will be ready for any format … of negotiations … I think it will be good,” Zelenskyy said, claiming the Russian president seeks to delay peace talks and US sanctions.
Regarding his participation in the upcoming Budapest negotiations, Zelenskyy said that he and the US president discussed the issue during their meeting and that Trump and Putin will also discuss it.
“If we really want to have just and lasting peace, we need both sides of this tragedy… How can (there) be some deals without us about us?” the Ukrainian president said, noting he told Trump that he is ready to take part in the summit.
He went on to argue that Trump needs to put “more” pressure on Putin in the context of peace talks. He also declared support for a bill in Congress that would impose sanctions and tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil.
He asked for some bilateral security guarantees for Ukraine during Friday’s talks, he said, adding, "God bless, yes," when asked if he believes Trump can end the war.
Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said the Russian president and Trump discussed the possibility of holding another face-to-face meeting during their latest phone call on Thursday and agreed that representatives from both sides will immediately begin preparing for a summit, with Budapest as a potential venue.
The two leaders last met in the US state of Alaska on Aug. 15.