Talks with President Trump

Presidents Zelensky and Trump spoke for the second time in two days. Topics included air defense, the energy sector, and possible peace negotiations. The Kremlin criticized possible"Tomahawk" deliveries.

Following a conversation the previous day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke again with his US counterpart Donald Trump by phone. Zelenskyy stated that the discussions focused primarily on air defense and the protection of Ukraine's energy sector, which has been repeatedly attacked by Russia.

"Yesterday we agreed on a number of issues we wanted to discuss today, and we covered all aspects of the situation: the defense of our country, the strengthening of our capabilities," Zelenskyy wrote on X. He discussed, among other things, the delivery of Patriot air defense systems and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Zelensky:"Tomahawks" only against military targets

According to Zelensky, Ukraine would not attack civilians in Russia with US"Tomahawk" missiles. They would only be used against military targets, Zelensky told the US broadcaster Fox News.

Trump said he might tell Russian President Vladimir Putin that he would supply Ukraine with Tomahawks if the war wasn't ended. He wanted to ensure that Ukraine received new weapons at Zelensky's request."They would like Tomahawks. This is a step forward." Trump had previously stated that he wanted to know what Ukraine intended to do with the missiles before delivering Tomahawks because he didn't want to escalate the war.

Russia warns against Tomahawk deliveries

Russia expressed concern about a possible delivery of Tomahawks and warned of an escalation."The issue of 'Tomahawks' is a cause for great concern," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television."This is truly a dramatic moment, as tensions are escalating on all sides."

Peskov further stated that if Tomahawk missiles were fired at Russia, the Russian leadership would have to consider that some versions of the missile could carry nuclear warheads. Tomahawks have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers. This would allow Ukraine to target targets deep in the Russian hinterland, including the capital, Moscow.

Hope for mediation by Trump

The day before, Zelensky had urged Trump in a phone call to mediate peace to end the war in Ukraine."If a war in one region can be ended, then other wars can certainly be stopped, including the Russian war," Zelensky said, referring to the ceasefire brokered by Trump between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.

Zelenskyy stated that the conversation with Trump was"very positive." He congratulated the US president "on his success and the agreement he was able to achieve in the Middle East, which is an outstanding success."

In the coming days, a Ukrainian delegation led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko will travel to Washington. The delegation will hold talks with the US government on possible sanctions, energy, and Ukraine's air defenses.