Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin began a «long» phone conversation Thursday, according to the U.S. president. «I am currently in conversation with President Putin. The conversation is ongoing, it is long, and I will report on it, just like President Putin, at the end,» Trump wrote on his Truth Social network.
The call comes on the eve of Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House, where he will request Tomahawk cruise missiles. Trump had previously said he intended to discuss the matter with Putin before making a decision. These missiles would allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russian territory, and Moscow has already warned that delivering them to Kyiv would constitute an «escalation» in its eyes.
On Sunday, Trump raised the possibility of speaking with Putin directly about the issue. «I might talk to him, I might say, ‘Look, if this war is not going to get settled, I'm going to send them Tomahawks. I may say that,’» he told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to the Middle East. He added that «the Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon, and honestly, Russia does not need that.»
As Russia steps up strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the Tomahawk will be the «main topic» of the meeting, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP. He also mentioned Patriot air defense systems, as Ukrainians fear facing winter without electricity or heating. Trump has so far kept his intentions uncertain. «The Ukrainians want to go offensive, I will make a decision on this,» he said Wednesday. On Sunday, he said that Ukraine’s use of Tomahawks would be «a new aggressive step.»
Vladimir Putin, for his part, has warned that delivering these missiles would constitute «a new escalation» and affect relations between Washington and Moscow. Ukraine has been targeted for about ten days by increased Russian attacks. From Wednesday night to Thursday, Russia fired a series of 320 drones and 37 missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which reported that 283 drones and five missiles were shot down. To respond, Ukrainians aim to strengthen their air defenses.
The meeting between Trump and Zelensky may shed light on the U.S. president’s current mindset. He recently said, to general surprise, that Ukraine could win the conflict, praising the resistance since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. However, some observers believe these compliments could signal Trump’s willingness to disengage.
The Republican leader, who prides himself on having had an excellent relationship with Putin while recently saying he is «very disappointed» with him, has so far exerted no significant pressure on Russia since returning to power. Vladimir Putin «simply does not want to end this war,» Trump said Tuesday.
AFP
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