Zelensky said that we need to be even tougher with Putin than Trump was with Hamas during the recent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“Putin is something similar, but stronger than Hamas,” Zelensky said. He noted that the war in Ukraine is larger, and the Russian army is the second largest in the world, so “more pressure is needed.”
Zelensky hoped that part of this pressure would be the supply of American long-range Tomahawk missiles, which could be used to launch strikes on Russian territory. In an interview after a meeting with the American president, he said: “It’s good that Trump didn’t say no, but today he didn’t say yes.”
Zelensky also said that Putin is afraid that the United States will supply Tomahawk to Ukraine and that it will use them.
Context
Ukraine has long voiced to the United States the need for Tomahawk. Amid frustration with Putin over his reluctance to end the war, Trump began to consider the possibility of transferring these missiles to Kyiv. The New York Times wrote that the US Department of Defense has developed plans to sell or transfer Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine in case the head of the White House orders it. At the same time, Trump noted that he needs to know that Ukrainians will do with Tomahawk – “Where they will be launched.”
On October 17, during a meeting with Zelensky at the White House, Trump stated that he hoped to end the war, “not thinking about Tomahawk”. Zelensky said they decided not to discuss the transfer of these missiles to Kyiv for now because the United States “does not want escalation.” Trump also called on Ukraine and Russia to conclude a peace agreement and “stop where they are.” Zelensky agreed with this.
On the same day, a CNN interlocutor said that Trump was under the impression that “Ukraine is seeking to escalate and prolong the conflict,” and the US President is concerned about the likely losses “during the coming harsh winter.”
Ahead of the meeting with Zelensky, Trump had a telephone conversation with Putin. The American president also announced their upcoming meeting in Budapest.
