Washington Post: Putin Call Shifted Trump's Tomahawk Stance

According to a Washington Post analysis, a phone call from Vladimir Putin to Donald Trump reportedly influenced the American president's decision regarding sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

The newspaper reports that before the phone call, Trump seemed ready to bolster Ukraine's arsenal. However, after the call and a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump softened his statements and focused on a possible summit with Putin.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, commented that Putin managed to outmaneuver everyone. The Washington Post points out that Trump's stance on the war in Ukraine seems to be influenced after contact with Putin.

Putin reportedly warned Trump that sending Tomahawk missiles would destroy US-Russia relations. Instead of announcing new aid to Ukraine, Trump announced he would hold a new summit with Putin.

According to Putin, the meeting is expected to take place in about two weeks in Budapest. The Kremlin maintains the rhetoric that the situation is complicated and rejects any possibility of a ceasefire.