The President and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are slated to convene at the White House this Friday. Their agenda includes discussions on substantial defensive equipment and strategies aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s ongoing conflict.
This meeting, which was announced earlier in the week, is set to occur merely a day after President Trump’s phone conversation with the Russian President.
The Ukrainian leader has clearly articulated his primary goal: to enhance Ukraine’s defenses against Russia’s incessant aerial assaults on civilian locations such as cities, energy grids, and medical facilities. The American Tomahawk missile is his foremost request.
This advanced, high-precision, long-range cruise missile, capable of reaching targets well beyond Moscow, could significantly enhance Ukraine’s capacity to strike deeper into Russian territory. Such strikes could more effectively target not only Russia’s military infrastructure but also its oil sector, a primary source of funding for Putin’s war chest.
However, a security specialist, John Hardie, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ (FDD) Russia Program, cautioned Digital that “no single weapon system will serve as a miraculous solution or a definitive game changer.”
Hardie stated that a counter-strategy must involve a series of tactics, which includes increased missile capability for Ukraine, but also targeting Russia’s war chest by undermining its economy through sanctions, hitting its oil industry, and crippling its defense complex.
Thirdly, the war effort on the front lines must be better equipped.
“Putin appears to maintain the conviction, or opts to believe, that he can exhaust Ukrainian forces in this protracted conflict, ultimately paving the way for him to achieve some of his objectives,” Hardie commented, adding, “He must be disillusioned of that notion.
“The objective,” he further stated, “should be to deplete the Russian military’s capacity for offensive operations.”
Hardie also noted that while items of that significant caliber would be useful for Ukraine, given their long-range and heavy payload capabilities, Kyiv could more efficiently employ other items for its daily needs.
He observed, “There’s a tendency to focus on a single system, yet the United States possesses a wide array of options to bolster Ukraine’s long-range precision strike abilities.”
For instance, Extended-Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles, a more economical cruise missile variant specifically developed by the U.S. for Ukraine, are expected to commence delivery in October.
Hardie additionally highlighted the utility and necessity of defensive systems, such as Patriot battery systems, for improved protection against Russia’s incessant missile and drone assaults.
After his telephone conversation with Putin on Thursday, Trump claimed “significant progress” had been achieved. However, he offered no details regarding the nature of this progress, though both leaders consented to another in-person meeting, to be held in Hungary.
While Trump stated that U.S.-Russia trade was a topic of discussion between them, he refrained from confirming whether American assistance to Ukraine was addressed. This topic seemed to be the catalyst for the call earlier in the week, when Trump informed journalists he “might have to speak” with Putin concerning the proximity of U.S. Tomahawks to Russian borders, which was perceived as an indirect warning.
Nevertheless, the president’s summary of the discussions did not include any mention of either Tomahawk missiles or defensive assistance.
Conversely, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov indicated that the subject was indeed discussed, with Putin expressing opposition.
According to Reuters, Ushakov quoted Vladimir Putin as reaffirming his argument that “Tomahawks will not alter the battlefield dynamics, but they will inflict considerable harm on the relationship between our nations, let alone prospects for a peaceful resolution,” he informed reporters after the call.