Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy widened his search for long-range missiles, making his case that Kyiv’s European partners should step up and provide the weapons if the U.S. doesn’t.
Speaking before a EU leaders summit in Brussels on Thursday, Mr. Zelenskyy said Russia is desperate to stop Ukraine from acquiring long-range strike capability, adding that the weapons might change the war’s course.
“And I urge you to support everything that will help Ukraine get such opportunities, because it really matters to Russia,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. “And these long-range weapons are not only in the U.S.; some European countries also have them, including the Tomahawks. We are already negotiating with countries that can help.”
Only the U.S. and U.K. have Tomahawk missiles, but fellow NATO countries France, Germany, Italy and Poland are developing their own long-range missiles under the European Long-Range Strike Approach.
Mr. Zelenskyy’s comments come on the heels of his meeting with President Trump last week, when the Ukrainian leader tried unsuccessfully to get Washington to provide Tomahawks.
The U.S.-made missiles have an effective range of over 1,300 miles, depending on the model, and could help Ukraine hit key Russian infrastructure targets beyond the frontline.
However, Mr. Trump has declined to supply the missiles, saying it would take too long to train Ukraine to use them effectively.
“They’re highly complex, so the only way a Tomahawk is going to be shot is if we shot it, and we’re not going to do that,” Mr. Trump told reporters Thursday in the Oval Office. “But there is a tremendous learning curve with a Tomahawk. It’s a very powerful weapon, very accurate weapon, and maybe that’s what makes it so complex.”
Before he met with Mr. Zelenskyy on Friday, Mr. Trump had a surprise phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the Russian leader reportedly saying that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would only increase tensions and hurt peace efforts.
Mr. Trump announced shortly after the phone call that he would meet with Mr. Putin in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks.
However, reports this week suggest the two sides are far apart, so a Budapest meeting is on hold.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.