Trump moderates stance on Tomahawks and sanctions after phone call with Putin

Following a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump has announced a second summit, this time in Budapest. He is presenting the meeting as a milestone on the road to peace in Ukraine.

As reported by Bloomberg, the president refused to guarantee deliveries of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine in front of journalists. “The United States needs them too, so I don't know what we can do with them,” he said. Long-range missiles are one of the key issues during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House on Friday.

Regarding sanctions against countries that buy Russian energy and other export goods, Trump also said that “it may not be the ideal time.”

This stance disappointed Kiev, which had hoped that Trump's frustration with Putin would lead to greater military support and economic pressure, Bloomberg notes, adding that this weakened Zelensky's position ahead of Friday's meeting.

(lup)