US President Donald Trump is scheduled to have a working lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, according to three sources familiar with the event’s arrangements, as conversations intensify over possibly supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
The two presidents have already spoken on both Saturday and Monday, and a senior Ukrainian delegation led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is expected in Washington ahead of the meeting to prepare the agenda, reports RTE.
Key points of discussion are likely to include Ukraine’s air defence needs, additional US military aid, and the possibility of Russia returning to peace talks, according to one of the anonymous sources.
President Zelensky has been urging the US to provide Tomahawk missiles, which are capable of reaching Moscow, although Ukrainian officials maintain they would only be deployed against military objectives, reports RTE.
Russia has warned that such a move would amount to a significant escalation,
President Trump has stated that he is evaluating whether to send Tomahawks to Ukraine, although he has also suggested he might raise the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin,
With a range of 2,500km, Tomahawk missiles could penetrate deep into Russian territory, including the capital.
Rather than a direct sale, the US would deliver the weapons to NATO, which could then transfer them to Ukraine, Trump explained,
“Yeah, I might tell him (Putin), if the war is not settled, we may very well do it,” Trump said. “We may not, but we may do it. … Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so,” reports RTE.
President Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would use any such missiles exclusively against military targets and not civilians,
“We never attacked their civilians. This is the big difference between Ukraine and Russia,” he told the Fox News program Sunday Briefing. “That’s why, if we speak about long-range (missiles), we speak only about military goals,” reports RTE.
His comments, recorded on Saturday, were broadcast on Sunday following his second conversation with President Trump in two days.
Zelensky confirmed that discussions are ongoing about the potential transfer of long-range missiles from Washington to Kyiv,
Trump said last week that he would first need assurances about how Ukraine intends to use the Tomahawks, emphasizing his reluctance to escalate the conflict, reports RTE.
Zelensky added that he is continuing efforts to convince Trump to approve the weapons deal.
“We count on such decisions, but we’ll see,” he said, reports RTE.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned earlier this month that deploying Tomahawks would not be possible without US military involvement, saying such a move would push the conflict into a “qualitatively new stage of escalation,”
Nevertheless, in a national address on Sunday, Zelensky said Moscow’s concerns were further justification to continue pursuing the missiles,
“We see and hear that Russia is afraid that the Americans may give us Tomahawks – that this kind of pressure may work for peace,” he said, reports RTE.
The conflict in Ukraine remains the deadliest in Europe since World War II, with Russia now describing the situation as a full-blown conflict with the West.
Putin views it as a pivotal moment in Russia’s post-Soviet relations with Western powers, whom he accuses of undermining Moscow by expanding NATO into areas he considers within Russia’s sphere of influence, including Ukraine and Georgia, reports RTE.
Ukraine and its allies reject this view, describing Russia’s actions as a modern-day land grab and pledging to resist the invasion.
European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas is currently in Ukraine for discussions on both military and financial backing.
Kallas, who met with Ukrainian citizens earlier today, said her visit is focused on energy sector security and ensuring accountability for Russia’s war crimes, reports RTE.
Separately, a Ukrainian drone struck a fuel depot in Feodosia, eastern Crimea, igniting a fire, according to the Russian-installed regional leader.
Sergei Aksyonov wrote on Telegram that over 20 drones were intercepted by air defences and no casualties were reported,
However, the extent of the damage was not disclosed, reports RTE.
Feodosia’s fuel facility, along with other strategic and military sites in Crimea, has been frequently targeted by Ukrainian forces.
Both sides have escalated strikes on each other’s energy assets as peace negotiations remain stalled, reports RTE.
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