Key Takeaways
- Zelensky urges Trump to increase pressure on Putin, comparing Russia’s threat to Hamas
- Ukrainian President confirms readiness to join Trump-Putin talks in Budapest
- Zelensky seeks Tomahawk missiles, claims Putin fears their deployment
- Rules out territorial concessions, demands calm conditions for peace talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has directly appealed to US President Donald Trump to take a stronger stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a significant development, Zelensky confirmed his willingness to participate in the upcoming Trump-Putin summit in Budapest, emphasizing that Ukraine must be central to any peace negotiations.
“Putin is something similar but more strong than Hamas,” Zelensky said speaking to NBC News. “The war is bigger and Russia’s army is the second biggest in the world, and that’s why more pressure is needed.”
The Ukrainian leader stressed that meaningful peace talks cannot exclude his country, questioning how deals about Ukraine could be made without Ukrainian participation.
Tomahawk Missiles: A Potential Game Changer
Zelensky revealed he had requested long-range Tomahawk missiles from the United States, weapons capable of striking deep inside Russian territory. While President Trump hasn’t committed to providing them, Zelensky found encouragement in the fact that the request wasn’t outright rejected.
“It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, didn’t say ‘yes,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian President claimed that Vladimir Putin genuinely fears the potential delivery of these missiles, with the Russian leader having previously warned that such supplies would represent a major escalation.
Budapest Summit: Zelensky Confirms Participation
Following Trump’s announcement of a second round of in-person talks with Putin in Budapest, Zelensky immediately confirmed his readiness to join the discussions. The summit aims to find pathways to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“I’m ready,” he said.
Russian Escalation and Energy Attacks
Zelensky’s statements came amid renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts across the country. The President asserted that these escalations reflect Russia’s weak position on the battlefield rather than military strength.
“We are not losing this war, and Putin is not winning,” Zelensky said.
“That’s why he really escalates airstrikes… He wants an energy disaster this winter by attacking us.”
No Territorial Concessions, Demands Calm for Talks
Zelensky firmly ruled out surrendering additional territory to Russia as part of any peace agreement. He emphasized that genuine negotiations can only occur under calm conditions, not during ongoing missile and drone attacks.
“If we want to stop this war and to go to peace negotiations urgently and in a diplomatic way, we need to stay where we stay, not to give something additional to Putin,” he said.
“Peace talks have to take place in quiet. Not under missiles, not under drones.”
When directly asked if President Trump could help broker an end to the conflict, Zelensky responded with cautious optimism:
“God bless, yes.”
