Trump, putin Discussed Potential Tomahawk Sale to Ukraine as Planned Budapest Meeting Looms
WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of the United States selling Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine during a recent phone call, with plans for a face-to-face meeting in Budapest “soon,” Trump announced Thursday. The potential sale has raised concerns from Putin, who expressed fear over the weaponS capabilities, stating Russia is “afraid as it is indeed a strong weapon.”
Trump described the call, his first with Putin since mid-August, as ”very productive,” and indicated that teams from Washington and Moscow would meet next week. He previously attempted to arrange a summit in Alaska in August to foster comprehensive peace talks, but that effort did not yield a breakthrough.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before addressing the planned talks with Putin, Trump acknowledged “bad blood” between the two leaders, suggesting a potential three-way meeting could be conducted separately to “make it comfortable for everybody.” He stated, “We want to make it comfortable for everybody…We’ll be involved in threes, but it might potentially be separated.”
Zelensky,following the meeting with Trump,stated he had briefed European leaders and emphasized the need to “protect as many lives as possible,guarantee security for Ukraine,and strengthen all of us in Europe.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed continued humanitarian and military support for Ukraine.
While Trump has shown openness to the Tomahawk sale, Putin warned it would further strain US-Russian relations. Trump had interrupted a meeting with Zelensky and European leaders in august to take a call from Putin.
On the ground in Ukraine, citizens continue to grapple with the ongoing conflict. Volodymyr, a store owner in a Kyiv suburb whose shop was recently destroyed by Russian missiles, expressed a desire for peace, stating, “We just want to live, we don’t want to give up, we just want them to leave us alone.”
