Donald Trump is due to speak to Vladimir Putin over a call today in yet another attempt to end the Russian President's war on Ukraine.
It comes just a day before Trump will meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky - following speculation the US may allow Kyiv to use long-range Tomahawk missiles. Trump has criticised Putin in recent months over his unwillingness to put an end to the fighting in Ukraine - or to meet with Zelenskiy face-to-face for peace talks. On Friday, Zelensky will meet with Trump in the White House, where he is expected to ask the US president for more advanced weaponry and discuss vital Patriot air defence systems.
Trump said he was willing to give Ukraine the weapons if Putin continued to halt peace in the region. He told reporters on Wednesday: "I might say, 'Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks'."
With a 2,500km reach and warheads weighing nearly half a ton, Tomahawk missiles - if approved - would hand Kyiv a major strategic edge, enabling strikes deep into Russian territory. Trump hailed the missiles as "incredible" and said Ukraine wants "to go offensive" adding: "I'll make a determination on that, but they would like to go offensive."
On Wednesday, Zelensky said tools like Patriots and Tomahawks can "help lay a long-term foundation for peace".
Trump earlier slammed Putin for his invasion of Ukraine, saying the ongoing war was "making him look very bad", He said on Tuesday: "I don't know why he continues with this war, he should have won that war in one week. He just doesn’t want to end that war. And I think it’s making him look very bad."
He added: "I have to tell you, I give credit because who would think that Ukraine could have fought Russia for four years to essentially a standstill."
The US president told reporters on Sunday that he "might have to speak to Russia" before greenlighting Ukraine's access to Tomahawk missiles.
It comes after Putin defied Trump by launching a massive aerial bombardment on Ukraine hours after the US President again called on him to stop the killing.
The Kremlin dictator sent up his MiG-31 bombers - carriers of Kinzhal [Dagger] hypersonic missiles - and ordered the latest wanton carnage overnight. A swarm of Russian drones also staged fresh attacks. One civilian was killed as explosions were reported in four major Ukrainian cities. A huge bombardment of missiles and drones also cut out gas supplies in one region.