Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned on Friday that President Donald Trump’s response to Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk missiles was less than enthusiastic, especially considering the ongoing conflict with Russia that has persisted for over three years.
“Operating solely with Ukrainian drones is really tough. We require long-range Tomahawks, and I believe the U.S. has something like that,” Zelenskiy shared during his NBC News appearance. He indicated that Trump’s stance was unclear: “I’m pleased that President Trump didn’t outright say no, but he didn’t say yes, either,” he remarked.
Zelenskiy, who had a meeting with Trump at the White House that same day, didn’t specify why the missile request was turned down but mentioned that Trump suggested it might not align with “American interests.”
Currently, Russia utilizes a mix of North Korean missiles, Iranian drones, and its own arsenal.
Trump commented to reporters that supplying a missile capable of reaching over 1,500 miles would be “not easy,” and expressed a hope that the war could be resolved without the need for Tomahawks. He urged both Russia and Ukraine to pause hostilities right after his meeting with Zelenskiy.
The Trump administration is concentrating on achieving a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, following a recent peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the Ukraine situation. They agreed to hold another meeting in Budapest for direct talks after the Alaska summit scheduled for August.
This dialogue came not long after Russia carried out one of its largest attacks on Ukraine, launching 37 missiles—including 28 ballistic missiles—and deploying 320 drones in various directions.
Russian officials warned Trump against sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for its defense.
“President Trump warned that if President Putin fails to address the Ukraine issue, it will have serious repercussions for him,” wrote Dmitry Medvedev, Russian Security Council’s deputy chairman, in a Monday post. He added, “If you think sending Tomahawk missiles is a good idea, you’re mistaken. That could lead to disastrous outcomes for everyone, especially for Trump.”
Just last weekend, Trump seemed open to the notion of sending powerful missiles to Ukraine, but his tone shifted after conversing with Putin. “President Putin is clearly worried that the U.S. might provide us with Tomahawks, and honestly, I think he’s genuinely concerned that we would use them,” Zelenskiy expressed during his NBC interview on Friday.
