Trump tells Zelensky to ‘make a deal’ as Tomahawk plea misfires

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday to make a deal with Russia, pouring cold water on Kyiv’s hopes for Tomahawk missiles as the US leader renews a push to settle the war.

Trump said as recently as last month that he believed Ukraine could take back all its territory -- but a day after agreeing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for a new summit, the American had changed his tune, though Zelensky did not rule out Trump changing his mind again in the future.

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

After meeting with Zelensky at the White House, Trump said on social media that their talks were “very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!”

“They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!” he posted online, while flying to his Florida estate.

Upon landing, he told reporters that Ukraine and Russia should “stop right now at the battle line.”

“Go by the battle line wherever it is or else it gets too complicated,” he added.

Zelensky meanwhile said after the meeting that Russia was “afraid” of the US-made long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, and that he was “realistic” about receiving the weapons from Washington.

He told reporters that while he and Trump discussed long-range weapons they “decided that we don’t speak about it because... the United States doesn’t want escalation.”

Zelensky came to Washington after weeks of calls for Tomahawks, hoping to capitalize on Trump’s growing frustration with Putin after a summit in Alaska failed to produce a breakthrough. But the Ukrainian left empty-handed as Trump eyes a fresh diplomatic breakthrough on the back of last week’s Gaza peace deal. Trump has appeared far more upbeat about the prospects of a deal since his lengthy call Thursday with Putin, in which they agreed to meet soon in Budapest. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get the war over with, without thinking about Tomahawks,” Trump told journalists as he hosted Zelensky.

Trump added that he believed Putin “wants to end the war.” Zelensky, who came to push for the long-range US-made weapons, said however that he would be ready to swap “thousands” of Ukrainian drones in exchange for Tomahawks.

Zelensky congratulated Trump on his recent Middle East peace deal in Gaza and said he hoped he would do the same for Ukraine. “I hope that President Trump can manage it,” he said.

Diplomatic talks on ending Russia’s invasion have stalled since the Alaska summit. The Kremlin said Friday that “many questions” needed resolving before Putin and Trump could meet, including who would be on each negotiating team.