Trump meets Zelensky, doesn't promise Ukraine many missiles, Tomahawk

Trump said this during a meeting with Ukraine's President Volodyyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday evening.

“I hope they don't need them. I hope we can finish the war without having to think about the Tomahawk” missiles, Trump told reporters before the two leaders held closed-door talks, reports REL, broadcast Periscope.

He also added that the United States may need such missiles for its own purposes.

The Tomahawk missile is a big deal. But one thing I have to say, we love the Tomahawk missiles. We do not want to give what we need to protect our country”, he added.

For his part, Zelensky cited a possible agreement in which Ukraine would offer American military production fear technology in exchange for long-range missiles.

Ukrainian president added that his country has <x0m>morra” fears, but “does not have Tomahawk”.

On the eve of Zelensky's third visit to the White House this year, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Trump held a call Thursday, at the request of the Kremlin, paving the way for a possible meeting in Budapest between the two leaders.

Speaking in front of Zelensky the day later, Trump said Putin “wants to end the war,”, while the Ukrainian president called for more pressure on the Kremlin to bring it to the negotiating table.

However, questioned if he was concerned that the Russian president could try to gain more time for Moscow's military efforts, Trump replied: “> Yes, I am”

I've faced the best of my life in this game, and I've always done well. So, it's possible that he's taking some time, and that's okay”, Trump said.

But I think he wants to reach deal”.

The unexpected conversation between the US and Russian presidents found Ukrainian representatives in Washington unprepared, who were seeking the purchase of American missile and air defence systems at a time when Russia is continuing ruthless attacks on the country's civil and energy infrastructure.

Moscow has previously warned Washington not to give Ukraine Tomahaw rockets.

Putin has stressed that supply of such missiles would constitute a completely new “escalation <x0phasis” between the United States and Russia.

On Thursday, Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, one of Putin's few EU allies, also spoke with the Russian leader, promising full co-operation to host their possible meeting in Budapest.

“Preparing at full speed! ”, he wrote in a Facebook post, hinting that Hungary will not seek Putin's arrest, despite the International Criminal Court's arrest speech.

European Commission spokesman Olof Gill told reporters in Brussels that the bloc welcomes “each meeting leading to the process of achieving a fair and lasting peace for Ukraine”.

Trump, who took office promising to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, has expressed disappointment several times over the lack of progress on reaching even a ceasefire, leaving any agreement on lasting peace more.

In addition to his first meeting with Putin in Alaska in August, Trump has talked on the phone with the Russian leader at least eight times, while White House envoy Steve Whitoff has met Putin in Moscow at least five times.

Trump's stance on Putin's dealt with Moscow's war in general has changed significantly in recent months, as Russia is continuing to advance on the battlefield and hit the cities of Ukraine, including the electricity network and natural gas infrastructure. /Periscope/