News of the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, in which they agreed to meet in person to discuss the war in Ukraine, will have come as an unwelcome surprise to Kyiv.
The country is being hit hard. The last 24 hours alone have seen Russia launch dozens of missiles and more than 300 drones at multiple targets, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including the gas supply network just as winter approaches.
For Ukraine's government, these attacks signaled Russian desperation amid a stalemate in the conflict. President Volodymyr Zelensky had hoped for increased American military assistance to maintain pressure on Russia. Just before boarding his plane to Washington, he was optimistic that Trump was beginning to see the world through Ukraine's eyes, a shift from an earlier derogatory exchange.
However, the unexpected timing of the Trump-Putin call, which took place while Zelensky was en route, casts a shadow over these expectations. The call's focus included a discussion on potential military aid for Ukraine and the implications of deploying long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Despite Trump’s display of frustration with Putin, military experts express skepticism about the effectiveness and timely deployment of such weapons.
As Zelensky arrived in Washington, he remained hopeful yet aware of the tricky political landscape; he still intended to press for military aid while highlighting Russia's eagerness to renew dialogue. Nevertheless, Trump's meeting with Putin could undermine Ukraine’s momentum for military support, leaving the country to face another difficult winter of conflict.
