Ukraine believes it has secured political support from the White House for a campaign that should increase pressure on Russia and force Moscow into meaningful negotiations, it has learned. Kyiv Independent. According to a senior Ukrainian official, US President Donald Trump he said privately Volodymyr Zelenskyi to be “more daring” in his moves.
“Trump says he doesn’t really believe that Putin will do anything without pressure,” said the same official, who is familiar with recent talks between the two leaders.
According to Ukrainian sources, Zelensky and his team believe that the meeting could be held more easily if the initiative comes directly from the US president, given that Putin, they claim, is trying to avoid openly opposing Trump.
During a recent meeting in Washington, Zelensky proposed to Trump the idea of a trilateral summit in the United States.
At the same time, US officials say that while Trump has not specifically confirmed support for Ukrainian attacks inside Russia, his position remains that peace can be achieved through pressure. “The president believes in peace through strength,” said one US official.
Moscow, on the other hand, continues to insist that any talks can be held exclusively in Russia, which Kiev rejects. “I will not travel to Moscow to meet with Putin. We can meet in Turkey, Switzerland or the Middle East,” Zelenski said.
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A new form of military aid
A new form of military aid is also being considered. Zelensky stated that Trump supports the idea of Ukraine producing missiles for the Patriot system under license, while the White House says it will consider the proposal. The issue is becoming more urgent as the US stockpile is strained by the war in Iran, while Ukraine’s stockpile of interceptors is limited.
Ukrainian officials believe recent military successes have convinced Trump that Kiev is in a stronger position than earlier this year.
