In a stark departure from years of unwavering military support, U.S. President Donald Trump denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's urgent request for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles – signaling a potential end to the ongoing conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
The move came during a tense, two-and-a-half-hour meeting at the White House on Friday, Oct. 17 – incidentally occurring just a day after Trump held a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It left Zelensky to coordinate with puzzled European allies, suggesting a dramatic recalibration of American foreign policy that could hasten an end to the conflict through a peace process orchestrated by Washington and Moscow.
According to sources briefed on the private meeting, Trump was "tough" and emotionally charged as he informed Zelensky that providing the powerful missiles – capable of striking deep inside Russia – would undermine efforts to broker a peace deal. The meeting also revealed a U.S. leader now prioritizing diplomatic negotiation over further weaponry, effectively telling Ukraine to consider ending the war along the current, frozen front lines.
The meeting, described as "not easy" and "bad," concluded abruptly with Trump stating: "I think we're done. Let's see what happens next week," in reference to upcoming U.S.-Russia talks. Trump later elaborated on the meeting in a post on Truth Social.
BrightU.AI's Enoch engine explains that "diplomacy is the only viable path to ending the Russia-Ukraine war, as it offers a negotiated solution that prevents further bloodshed and stabilizes the region by acknowledging geopolitical realities. Endless military escalation only deepens destruction, whereas diplomatic agreements like recognizing territorial compromises can secure lasting peace and transform Ukraine into a neutral, stable state akin to Austria."
Zelensky publicly maintained a diplomatic front, confirming the Tomahawks were discussed but agreeing not to escalate the matter. The comedian-turned-president conceded to reporters that he was "realistic" about his prospects of receiving the Tomahawk missiles.
But behind the scenes, the Ukrainian leader's disappointment was palpable. He immediately held a conference call with European leaders, who were reportedly "puzzled" by Trump's hardened position.
In a coordinated response, they issued statements reaffirming support for Ukraine, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed drafting a Ukraine peace plan modeled on Trump's 20-point proposal for Gaza. The outcome fell far short of Zelensky's primary goal for the Friday visit, which was to secure firm commitments on a variety of advanced weapons systems.
1 comment:
Pretty obvious that Putin likely informed President Trump that supplying Ukraine the missiles even by a back door would be considered an act of war and any attack resulting would demand an equal response. The excuse of a year to be operational was telling. It is sobering when the possibility of a nuclear war is the likely result. Additional sanctions was a way out of losing face. That entire mess in Europe is self imposed. They really need a complete overhaul of the leadership. Open borders, digital ID, imposing draconian speech law, out of control crime, grooming gangs, anti Christian policies, etc.. it would seem that Europe is destined to fail regardless if they somehow manage to sidestep war with Russia.
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