Trump hopes to put an end to Russia’s war without selling Tomahawks to Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said connected Friday he believed to beryllium capable to transportation nan momentum of nan Gaza ceasefire woody betwixt Israel and Hamas towards successfully putting an extremity to Russia’s warfare connected Ukraine, too.

“I deliberation we transportation a batch of momentum, a batch of credibility. Getting Middle East done was very important. Nobody thought it could beryllium done”, Trump said.

“We sewage it done beautiful swiftly aft we group nan array properly. We had to group nan array properly. I deliberation nan array is group decently present excessively now”.

“It’ll beryllium a awesome honour to get it done.”

The US president hopes his upcoming gathering pinch Vladimir Putin successful Hungary will bring nan extremity if nan warfare closer, though he allowed for nan anticipation that Russian President whitethorn beryllium trying to bargain himself time.

“I am,” he said erstwhile asked whether he was concerned astir Putin playing for time.

“You know, I’ve been played each my life by nan champion of them, and I came retired really well,” he said.

“I deliberation that he wants to make a deal,” Trump stated referring to Putin, claiming that some Zelenskyy and Putin were fresh to extremity nan war, but individual animosity betwixt nan leaders had delayed nan process.

"I deliberation President Zelensky wants it done and I deliberation President Putin wants it done," he said.

"Now each they person to do is get on a small bit."

Zelenskyy restated his belief that Putin is “not ready” for peace, but added “I’m confident, pinch your help, we tin extremity this war.”

“I deliberation this is nan momentum to decorativeness Russia’s warfare against Ukraine.”

After nan gathering successful nan White House Zelenskyy had a telephone pinch immoderate much of Ukraine’s strategical partners, including nan leaders of nan countries of nan Coalition of nan Willing.

Zelenskyy confirmed that nan president of nan European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and nan President of nan European Council António Costa were connected nan telephone together pinch Finland’s Alexander Stubb, Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre, nan UK’s Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and NATO's Mark Rutte.

Zelenskyy admitted that nan astir “sensitive and difficult” mobility was nan rumor of Ukraine’s territories.

American Tomahawks for Ukrainian drones?

Until immoderate ceasefire talks begin, nan large mobility for Kyiv is whether Ukraine would get much weapons from nan US. The anticipation of trading Tomahawk missiles was connected apical of nan schedule astatine nan White House gathering successful Friday.

Donald Trump said he hopes Tomahawks won’t beryllium needed successful bid efforts aimed astatine Putin and extremity to Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine.

“Hopefully, we'll beryllium capable to get nan warfare complete without reasoning astir Tomahawks", Trump said, adding that nan US needs its Tomahawks and “a batch of different weapons that we're sending to Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy countered by pointing retired that nan sending doesn't person to beryllium a one-way street:

"If you want to target a subject goal, you request thousands of drones," Zelenskyy said.

"It goes together pinch specified missiles. The United States has Tomahawks and different missiles, very beardown missiles, but they tin besides person our thousands of drones. That's wherever we tin activity together."

Donald Trump confirmed Washington’s interest: “We would beryllium willing successful Ukrainian drones. We build our ain drones, but we besides bargain drones from others. And they make very bully drones.”

The anticipation of Ukraine getting Tomahawk missiles triggered interest and sabre-rattling from Moscow complete nan past fewer days.

The Kremlin said it is causing “extreme concern” successful Russia, adding that nan warfare is entering what spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called a “dramatic infinitesimal successful position of nan truth that tensions are escalating from each sides”.

Before walking to nan US, Zelenskyy had said that portion of nan schedule for nan travel included talks connected what Kyiv calls "Mega Deal", an statement connected nan acquisition of American weapons, and a alleged “Drone deal” to to waste Ukraine-made drones to nan US.

The woody was initially earmarked to beryllium worthy astir 77 cardinal euros.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy estimated successful June that his state had nan capacity to make 8 cardinal drones a year, but lacked nan backing to do so.

Upcoming gathering successful Hungary

President Donald Trump said coming that nan upcoming gathering pinch Russian leader Vladimir Putin successful Budapest, Hungary, will beryllium conscionable those 2 countries, but he noted that nan US will beryllium successful touch pinch Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“It’s going to beryllium a double meeting,” nan US president said. “But we will person nan President Zelenskyy successful touch. There’s a batch of bad humor pinch nan 2 presidents, and I’m not speaking retired of move erstwhile I opportunity it.”

Zelenskyy said “Putin hates me” explaining why Russian president refuses to meet pinch him.

When asked by journalists “Do you dislike him?” he admitted “They (Russia) effort to termination of us. It would beryllium unusual if I had immoderate different cognition to this person.”

Zelenskyy reiterated erstwhile again that he is fresh to meet Putin successful immoderate format, pointing retired that now only nan US and Donald Trump person nonstop connection pinch Moscow.

Putin only agreed to meet Donald Trump erstwhile nan 2 leaders had a acme successful Alaska successful August. Since past nan US president stated he tin bring Zelenskyy and Putin to nan array successful a bilateral format and that he was fresh to subordinate nan two. But since nan Alaska gathering nan Kremlin’s stance hasn’t changed.

Commenting connected nan upcoming gathering successful Hungary, Donald Trump said “it is simply a safe country”.

“It is simply a leader that we like. We for illustration Viktor Orbán. He has been a very bully leader successful nan consciousness of moving his country. He doesn’t person a batch of nan problems that different counties have. I deliberation he’ll beryllium a very bully host”.

Earlier successful nan summertime Hungary offered to big nan trilateral gathering betwixt Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin, together pinch Austria, Switzerland and nan Vatican.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) apprehension warrant for Putin for nan abduction of Ukrainian children limits nan prime of location arsenic he risks apprehension successful immoderate of nan court's 125 personnel states if he steps ft into their territory.

Earlier this year, Hungary became nan first personnel of nan EU to denote its volition to retreat from nan tribunal successful consequence to nan apprehension warrant placed connected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which Hungary, for illustration nan US, had contested.

But Hungary's withdrawal will not return effect until June 2026, 1 twelvemonth aft it revenge nan notification. In nan interim period, nan state remains bound by nan tribunal.