‘Make a deal’ — Trump tells Zelensky as plea for special missiles fails

Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky connected Friday to marque a woody with Russia, pouring acold h2o connected Kyiv’s hopes for Tomahawk missiles arsenic the US person renews a propulsion to settee the war.

Trump said arsenic precocious arsenic past period that helium believed Ukraine could instrumentality backmost each its territory — but a time aft agreeing to conscionable Russian President Vladimir Putin for a caller summit, the American had changed his tune, though Zelensky did not regularisation retired Trump changing his caput again successful the future.

“It’s bully that President Trump didn’t accidental ‘no,’ but for today, (he) didn’t accidental ‘yes'” to providing Kyiv with Tomahawks, Zelensky told US broadcaster NBC connected Friday.

After gathering with Zelensky astatine the White House, Trump said connected societal media that their talks were “very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, arsenic I likewise powerfully suggested to President Putin, that it is clip to halt the killing, and marque a DEAL!”

“They should halt wherever they are. Let some assertion Victory, fto History decide!” helium posted online, portion flying to his Florida estate.

Upon landing, helium told reporters that Ukraine and Russia should “stop close present astatine the conflict line.”

“Go by the conflict enactment wherever it is oregon other it gets excessively complicated,” helium added.

Zelensky meantime said aft the gathering that Russia was “afraid” of the US-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, and that helium was “realistic” astir receiving the weapons from Washington.

He told reporters that portion helium and Trump discussed long-range weapons they “decided that we don’t talk astir it because… the United States doesn’t privation escalation.”

– ‘Get the warfare over’ –

Zelensky came to Washington aft weeks of calls for Tomahawks, hoping to capitalize connected Trump’s increasing vexation with Putin aft a acme successful Alaska failed to nutrient a breakthrough.

But the Ukrainian near empty-handed arsenic Trump eyes a caller diplomatic breakthrough connected the backmost of past week’s Gaza bid deal.

Trump has appeared acold much upbeat astir the prospects of a woody since his lengthy telephone Thursday with Putin, successful which they agreed to conscionable soon successful Budapest.

“Hopefully we’ll beryllium capable to get the warfare implicit with, without reasoning astir Tomahawks,” Trump told journalists arsenic helium hosted Zelensky.

Trump added that helium believed Putin “wants to extremity the war.”

Zelensky, who came to propulsion for the long-range US-made weapons, said nevertheless that helium would beryllium acceptable to swap “thousands” of Ukrainian drones successful speech for Tomahawks.

Zelensky congratulated Trump connected his caller Middle East bid woody successful Gaza and said helium hoped helium would bash the aforesaid for Ukraine. “I anticipation that President Trump tin negociate it,” helium said.

– ‘Many questions’ –

Diplomatic talks connected ending Russia’s penetration person stalled since the Alaska summit.

The Kremlin said Friday that “many questions” needed resolving earlier Putin and Trump could meet, including who would beryllium connected each negotiating team.

But it brushed disconnected suggestions Putin would person trouble flying implicit European airspace.

Hungary said it would guarantee Putin could participate and “hold palmy talks” with the United States contempt an International Criminal Court apprehension warrant against him for alleged warfare crimes.

Since the commencement of his 2nd term, Trump’s presumption connected the Ukraine warfare has shifted dramatically backmost and forth.

Initially Trump and Putin reached retired to each different arsenic the US person derided Zelensky arsenic a “dictator without elections.”

Tensions came to a caput successful February, erstwhile Trump accused his Ukrainian counterpart of “not having the cards” successful a rancorous Oval Office meeting.

Relations betwixt the 2 person since warmed arsenic Trump has expressed increasing vexation with Putin.

But Trump has kept a dialog transmission unfastened with Putin, saying they “get along.”

The US person has repeatedly ch...