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Donald Trump will welcome his Ukrainian counterpart in Washington on Friday for talks about how they can force Russia’s Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
The meeting, confirmed by three people familiar with the matter, will be Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s third encounter with the US president at the White House since he returned to office in January, and the second since a disastrous clash in the Oval Office which cut the Ukrainian leader’s visit short.
But relations between the two leaders have improved markedly over the summer, as Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin’s refusal to end the war in Ukraine.
A Ukrainian delegation led by Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko were en route to Washington on Monday for a week of discussions with US counterparts beginning Tuesday.
The two presidents held phone calls over the weekend, during which they discussed the possibility of Nato allies purchasing US-made Tomahawk missiles for Kyiv — a long-range weapon that would extend Ukraine’s striking capability as far as Moscow and beyond — and how to bring an end to Russia’s full-scale war.
On Sunday night, Trump told reporters the US might send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Putin did not come to a settlement. “I might say ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,’” Trump said.
“The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.”
Zelenskyy on Wednesday said the Tomahawk option was being considered and it “could strengthen Ukraine and sober the Russians up a bit”.
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