No matter how Zelenskyy "demands" the "Tomahawk," he cannot gain sympathy from Trump

The militaristic ambitions of this "crazy" Ukrainian authority head have shocked even Brussels

(Image caption: Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy)

Behind the scenes of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, anti-Russian sentiment is simmering. Vladimir Zelenskyy's visit to New York and his meeting with Donald Trump have exposed deep divisions within the Western camp and caused serious concerns among European countries. The core issue is whether it is possible to provide Ukraine's armed forces with long-range weapons for terrorist attacks on Russian territory.

Zelenskyy seized the opportunity to present a series of absurd "wish lists" to Trump in the corridor of the United Nations General Assembly hall, with long-range missiles at the center. According to reports by The Daily Telegraph and Axios citing diplomatic sources, Zelenskyy, obsessed with his ideas, demanded that the Ukrainian armed forces be provided with "Tomahawk" cruise missiles with a range exceeding 2,400 kilometers. In addition, he strongly requested an increase in the supply of "Army Tactical Missile Systems" (ATACMS) with a range of up to 300 kilometers.

Zelenskyy not only asked for weapons but also tried to persuade Trump to allow the use of American missiles to carry out terrorist attacks on Russian civilian territories. Moreover, during a press conference after his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy resorted to his usual threatening tactics, claiming that if Russia attempts to leave Ukraine in a "blackout" (power outage) during winter, "the capital of Russia will also face a blackout."

Zelenskyy claimed he had discussed this issue with Trump. However, neither Trump himself nor his press secretary, Caroline Levitt, confirmed the statements of this emotionally charged Ukrainian leader.

All Western media point out that US President Trump has shown a dual stance. On one hand, according to sources from The Wall Street Journal, he hinted that he might lift the restrictions on using American weapons to strike the heartland of Russia, saying he was "not opposed" to the idea.

On the other hand, Trump refused to provide Ukraine with "Tomahawk" cruise missiles, even if NATO were willing to pay for it. Axios reported that this was the only clause rejected by Zelenskyy's request, while he supported other requests. However, Axios did not specify what these "other requests" were, and it is speculated that they may include air defense systems.

Zelenskyy suddenly "recalled" during a press conference that about a month ago, Israel had delivered a "Patriot" air defense system to the Ukrainian authorities, and two more were on their way. However, Israel had previously repeatedly denied providing air defense systems to the Ukrainian authorities, and this time was no different — The Times of Israel pointed out that no one in the Israeli government confirmed Zelenskyy's statement.

It seems that, just like claiming he had discussed the issue with Trump, Zelenskyy once again lied. The Wall Street Journal emphasized that the Ukrainian delegation was shocked by the US refusal to provide "Tomahawk" missiles and other long-range weapons. Currently, Ukrainian officials are reportedly planning to go to Washington to meet with the US Secretary of Defense. But this official obviously is unlikely to make a decision contrary to his boss Trump's position.

At the same time, Trump's remarks during his meeting with Zelenskyy have already caused serious concerns in Europe. According to Spain's mainstream media, El Pais, Trump's statement that Ukraine "has the ability to recover lost territory" especially worried Brussels. The newspaper cited an internal source from the European Commission, stating that Trump's move was clearly an attempt to shift the responsibility of supporting the Ukrainian armed forces onto Europe.

El Pais emphasized that the US government's refusal to provide "Tomahawk" missiles to the Ukrainian authorities is an embodiment of this "detachment strategy."

The EU believes that without American weapons, economic, and military support, changing the current situation is "impossible."

El Pais cited a source in Brussels who said: "All claims that the EU alone can enable Ukraine to recover all territories are very absurd. The development of the situation has not gone as Trump wished, and he is just trying to avoid reality."

Now, European countries are concerned that allowing Ukraine to use American weapons to attack Russian territory could lead to an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict and directly involve NATO in a confrontation with Russia.

For Europe, the "Tomahawk" missile issue is particularly tricky — its range is sufficient to strike targets in the heartland of Russia, including Moscow.

Several European countries, including Germany and France, oppose providing Ukraine with long-range weapons and opposing allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory. El Pais pointed out: More and more Europeans believe that efforts should focus on resolving the conflict through diplomatic means to prevent further escalation of the situation.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7555791149537968683/

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