US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) expressed optimism about the possibility of brokering a “long-lasting” peace between Russia and Ukraine, despite acknowledging the deep personal animosity between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a major obstacle to negotiations.
During a bilateral lunch with the Ukrainian President in the White House, Trump reiterated his confidence in facilitating an end to the ongoing war.
“They (President Zelenskyy and President Putin) don’t like each other. I say that in front of President Zelenskyy, but I say it in front of President Putin, too. They have tremendous bad blood. It really is holding up, I think, a settlement. I think we’re going to get it done,” the US President said.
He emphasised the importance of a lasting solution, referring to his administration’s efforts in brokering normalisation agreements in the Middle East, particularly the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“And we have to make it long-lasting, as I said in the Middle East, everlasting. The Middle East is a much more complicated situation. We had 59 countries involved, and every one of them agreed. Most people didn’t think that was doable. This is going to be something I really believe that’s going to get done. I had a very good talk yesterday with President Putin. I think he wants to get it done,” he added.
Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy came following the US President’s hour-long telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday. He also said that the two leaders will meet in Hungary in the coming few weeks.
Trump further showed his reluctance to sell the Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine during his meeting with Zelenskyy, days after he warned his Russian counterpart of supplying Kyiv with the missiles if Putin did not settle the conflict.
“I have an obligation also, though, to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country… We’re going to be talking about Tomahawks, and we’d much rather have them (Ukraine) not need Tomahawks. We’d much rather have the war be over,” Trump stated.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump stated that he was mulling over sending the US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv, as per reports in several local media.
“I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest with you, about Tomahawks,” the US President told reporters on board Air Force One enroute to West Asia.
He added that he’s going to send Kyiv Tomahawks if the Ukraine conflict “is not going to get settled,” Russian news agency TASS reported. (ANI)
