Trump turns to Putin for dialogue, leaving Kyiv waiting for arms

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington expecting progress on the sale of Tomahawk missiles, but just before his visit, Donald Trump held a call with Vladimir Putin — and reversed course. Instead of approving the weapons, Trump said he wanted to “make a deal” with Moscow.

Source The New York Times

For Ukrainians, it felt like déjà vu: once again, Kyiv’s efforts to win U.S. support were undercut by sudden diplomacy between Washington and the Kremlin. Still, Ukraine’s battlefield position has improved — counteroffensives have reclaimed ground, and long-range strikes have crippled parts of Russia’s energy infrastructure.

Analysts say Kyiv enters the next phase of talks stronger militarily but weaker diplomatically. With Trump favoring negotiations over new arms, Ukraine must rely on its recent military gains and European backing to keep pressure on Moscow and avoid being sidelined in a deal that benefits the Kremlin.