(The Hill) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said President Trump poured cold water on his request to provide the Eastern European nation with Tomahawk missiles amid its over three-years-long war with Russia.
“It’s very difficult just to operate only with Ukrainian drones. We need long-range Tomahawks and United States has similar things,” Zelensky said during a Friday appearance on NBC News’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.”
“We need it for mixed — using like Russia uses it, it’s understandable how it works, so our teams work on it, I said, and I’m honest, it’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, didn’t say ‘yes,’” he added.
Zelensky, who met with Trump Friday afternoon at the White House, did not provide an exact reason as to why Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk missiles was denied, but told Welker the president said the move wouldn’t coincide with “America’s interests.”
The Kremlin is currently using self-produced missiles in addition to missiles from North Korea and drones from Iran.
Trump told reporters on Friday that it’s “not easy” for the U.S. to provide the missiles, which have a range of more than 1,500 miles, adding that “hopefully, we’ll be able to get the war over with, without thinking about Tomahawks.”
The Trump administration has been focused on securing a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine as it comes off the heels of brokering a peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
On Thursday, the president spoke with Russian Leader Vladimir Putin about the country’s war in Ukraine. The two leaders agreed to meet in Budapest for another in person discussion after an August Alaska summit.
Ahead of the call, Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Ukraine, with 37 missiles, including 28 ballistic missiles, and 320 drones in multiple directions.
Russian leaders have warned Trump against sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for its protection.
“Trump said that if the Russian President doesn’t resolve the Ukrainian conflict, ‘it will end badly for him.’ He’s making this threat for the hundredth time, in short,” Russian Security Council deputy chair Dmitry Medvedev wrote in a Monday Telegram post.
“If ‘business peacemaker’ is referring to Tomahawk missiles, then the phrase is incorrect. The delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone. And most of all, for Trump himself,” he concluded.
Last weekend, Trump signaled he would be open to sending the powerful missiles to Ukraine. His tone shifted after speaking to Putin on Thursday.
“I think that Putin [is] afraid that United States will deliver us Tomahawks,” Zelensky told NBC on Friday. “And I think that he really afraid that we will use.”