US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appear to be publicly ramping up their pressure on Russia’s Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Trump repeatedly claimed that both sides want an end to the nearly four-year-old war, but added that Zelensky and Putin had both been “difficult.”
“We’ve settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest, but Putin is a difficult character, and this guy’s a difficult character,” Trump said, referring to Zelensky, who was sitting next to him.
In comments to the press later, Zelensky said that he and Trump discussed ideas on “how to bring peace closer.”
In the meeting, Trump asked Zelensky if he would meet Putin in Moscow, something that the Ukrainian leader has repeatedly ruled out.
In response, Zelensky pointed to his country’s attacks on Russian population hubs and fuel infrastructure.
“It is difficult. There are lots of Ukrainian drones there. It’s dangerous,” he said.
But Trump continued insisting that the pair would meet, albeit not in Moscow.
“He’ll meet, and Zelensky’s gonna meet and something’s gonna happen that’s gonna be positive. I hope it’ll happen soon.
Trump grants Zelensky license to produce Patriot missiles
During the meeting, the pair discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses, and Trump granted Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missiles.
“It’s a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon,” Trump said.
Notably, Ukraine has repeatedly requested additional Patriot interceptors to bolster its air defenses, especially as Moscow intensifies its aerial attacks.
In Ankara, Zelensky pressed NATO allies for “effective anti-ballistic systems and missiles,” and emphasized that ballistic missiles were “Russia’s last major advantage.”
“Today’s wars have shown that current Patriot production is not enough to meet the growing demand for protection against ballistic missiles. That is a fact. And we must respond to that fact. Those who defend life need more Patriots,” he said in a speech at the NATO Defense Industry Forum.
Zelensky also urged NATO states to allow Ukraine to join the alliance, which it has sought for years.
“I have a question for you: Do you really believe it would be right to leave outside NATO a country and a people with this level of defensive capability?”
He also spoke on his long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which caused a fuel crisis throughout the country.
“For a long time, Russia believed it had a territorial advantage no one else possessed – a deep rear where it could safely keep military production, military equipment, and everything its war depends on, believing no one could reach them. We have reached them.
“Just yesterday, Ukrainian drones broke through Russia’s defenses and struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia. This is not an exception. It is the new reality. There is no major oil refinery left in Russia that has not been struck by Ukraine.”
Notably, the Kremlin has repeatedly tried to downplay the fuel crisis, which has affected at least 81 of Russia’s 83 regions, according to CNN.
“The enemy is trying to do harm in the economy and create an anxious situation in society,” Russian President Putin said.
“This is impossible. Russia’s energy system is the strongest in the world.”
Russian attacks kill dozens, Zelensky vows more long-range strikes
Overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least four people and injured another 14. On Monday, Russian strikes killed at least 20 people.
The strikes came as Zelensky gave an interview with the Financial Times earlier this week, and provided his reasoning for continuing long-range strikes on Russia.
“In the skies today, smarts will prevail. I am absolutely certain of that,” he said.
“If our partners do not abandon Ukraine when it comes to funding our resilience, if our guys soldier on and keep holding the battlefield, and if every kilometer costs the Russians tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of troops, then we will fight for the skies. Because the skies will be the crucial factor in this war.
“Whoever is smarter is stronger, and that’s who will win.”
The Ukrainian president added that he believes that Putin will make it obvious when he wants to end the war.
“When not one hundred drones but a thousand start reaching Moscow, and when he feels it and sees it, he will be advised to move somewhere beyond the Urals. That will be a moment that opens a new chapter on the path toward ending the war.
“The farther Putin is from Moscow, the closer the end of the war and peace will be,” Zelensky added.
This comes after a US official told Reuters that Trump felt “a real sense of urgency to try to bring this to a stop.”
“The battlefield has clearly frozen over the last couple of months, and neither side is making a lot of progress,” the official said.
On Tuesday, Trump spoke about his desire to end the war “soon” but did not elaborate as to how or when talks could happen.
“I had a very good talk with President Putin… We had a long talk yesterday. It lasted a long time. And I also spoke with President Zelensky right after that. I think they both want to make a deal. It’s too bad it took so long. But I think there’s something,” he said.
Trump told reporters Wednesday that he would speak to Putin that evening. The pair last spoke on Saturday and had a “business-like” conversation, according to Kremlin spokespeople.
