"Obviously, he didn't succeed and he seemed to be pulling back from his support for Ukraine in the war with Russia. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky took a diplomatic pasting in an infamously tense exchange with Mr Trump and vice president JD Vance in the Oval Office in February. Mr Zelensky was accused of being ungrateful for US aid provided since Russia's invasion three years before, and pressing for quick negotiations to end the war. The incident resulted in question marks over future US support."
"But Mr Trump has pulled in his horns since, with a series of more cordial meetings with Ukraine's president. They met privately on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral, then at the Nato summit and at the United Nations general assembly. Mr Zelensky was back in Washington yesterday to make his case for long-range missiles to fight the threat from Russia. Mr Trump had signalled he might be willing to arm Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, which are capable of striking deep inside Russia."
"The threat of long-range missiles caused extreme concern in the Kremlin. Fresh from the breakthrough in Gaza, with a 20-point peace plan agreed by Israel and Hamas, Mr Trump has turned his attention to Ukraine. Nobody is complaining about the US leader's belated conversion to using his considerable weight towards progressing peace wherever it may be. Mr Trump's White House meeting with Mr Zelensky followed what the US president hailed as "great progress" during a two-hour phone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin."
An initially tense Oval Office exchange left questions over future US support for Ukraine after President Trump and vice-president JD Vance accused President Zelensky of ingratitude and pressing for quick negotiations. Trump subsequently held a series of cordial meetings with Zelensky, who returned to Washington to press for long-range missiles; Trump signalled possible provision of Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia, triggering Kremlin concern. The US president, coming off a Gaza breakthrough and a touted phone call with Vladimir Putin described as "great progress," plans face-to-face talks in Hungary, with preparatory meetings by Washington and Moscow teams and limited EU involvement.
Read at Irish Independent
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