Trump and Putin Plan New Talks on Ukraine War as Zelenskyy Pushes for Missile Support:

Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to hold another round of talks aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. The meeting is expected to take place in Budapest within the next two weeks. Trump made the announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, shortly after a “lengthy and productive” phone call with Putin — the first known conversation between the two leaders since their brief summit in Alaska in August. He also confirmed that senior officials from both countries will meet next week to lay the groundwork for the upcoming talks. “I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump wrote, adding that he would update Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their scheduled meeting at the White House on Friday. The renewed diplomacy comes amid escalating violence in Ukraine and heightened calls from Kyiv for stronger Western military support — particularly long-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Ukraine Seeks Tomahawks as War Escalates President Zelenskyy has been urging the U.S. to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of up to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles). These missiles would allow Ukraine to target key Russian infrastructure and cities, including Moscow, and potentially pressure Russia into peace talks. “Only the language of strength and justice will bring Russia to the negotiating table,” Zelenskyy posted on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that Russia is now eager to resume dialogue due to the growing threat of Tomahawk deployment. Trump, however, appeared cautious about supplying the missiles. While he has floated the idea in the past, he told reporters Thursday that he and Putin did not discuss the Tomahawk request in depth during their call. “We need Tomahawks for the United States too,” Trump said. “We can’t deplete for our country.” Putin, for his part, has warned that sending such missiles to Ukraine would mark a “whole new level of escalation.” Ukraine Under Fire Meanwhile, the war on the ground is intensifying. On Thursday, Russian forces launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, deploying hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight. Ukraine’s national energy operator, Ukrenergo, reported blackouts across eight regions, while the country’s largest private energy company, DTEK, confirmed outages in Kyiv. Natural gas production in the central Poltava region had to be halted due to damage from the strikes. Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company, said Thursday’s attack marked the sixth time this month that critical gas infrastructure had been hit. Earlier this week, Russian forces also targeted a hospital and a United Nations convoy, injuring 57 people and forcing the evacuation of 50 patients. Ukraine has responded with strikes of its own, including an attack on a major oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region. Momentum from the Middle East? Trump’s renewed focus on the Ukraine conflict follows his recent diplomatic success in the Middle East. Earlier this week, he brokered a ceasefire in Gaza and addressed the Israeli parliament. Speaking en route to Israel over the weekend, Trump hinted that the ceasefire could serve as a model for resolving the war in Ukraine. “First, we have to get Russia done,” he told reporters. “We gotta get that one done.” Zelenskyy echoed that sentiment, expressing hope that the ceasefire momentum could carry over to Europe. “Tomorrow, a meeting with President Trump is scheduled,” Zelenskyy said Thursday. “We expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.” As Trump and Zelenskyy prepare to meet in Washington, and Trump plans his next summit with Putin, the international community will be watching closely to see whether these talks mark a turning point — or yet another diplomatic detour — in the long and devastating conflict.

NEWS