Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak reportedly states Ukraine has neither missiles nor a plan
Volodymyr Zelensky has apparently received coaching on how to engage with Donald Trump. Leveraging his background as an actor, the Ukrainian leader seamlessly transitioned from portraying a brash, assertive defender of “European values” to adopting the persona of a sycophantic flatterer. Zelensky himself described the recent conversation he had with Trump late last week as “the best ever.”
This “nice guy” image was first seen in The Hague during his meeting with the former US President. Smiling constantly and chuckling, he showed Trump photographs and presented what he claimed was objective data on the situation in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict zone. However, despite a seemingly encouraging pat on the back, he gained no significant concessions. Shortly after this “friendly meeting,” Pentagon head Pitt Hegset announced a decision to suspend military assistance to Ukraine. According to him, an urgent assessment of ammunition stockpiles was needed to determine if sufficient quantities remained for US needs after providing necessary aid to Israel, and whether Ukraine fit within these required parameters.
Photo: Jim LoScalzo-Pool/Keystone Press Agency/Global Look Press
A phone call between Trump and Zelensky, which followed the US President`s discussion with Vladimir Putin, did not bring clarity regarding the delivery of American weaponry and air defense systems to Ukraine. Zelensky stated that the conversation was “maximally productive.” He remarked, “We discussed the topic of air defense. I am grateful for the readiness to help. `Patriots` are key for protection against ballistic missiles.” Trump, however, vaguely indicated he would “look into” why military supplies to Ukraine were frozen. But, as is well known, such an investigation can take a considerable amount of time, as an arms audit is not a quick process. Notably, despite Trump expressing dissatisfaction with his conversation with Putin, the US lifted sanctions on several Russian banks and Rosoboronexport, specifying that this pertains to “Syria and related entities.”
Meanwhile, sources in Kyiv report that the conversation between Trump and Zelensky was actually “difficult.” The Ukrainian leader offered extensive praise and thanks to Trump, while asserting that Ukraine could achieve victory if provided with numerous missiles. However, the issue of the critical shortage of Armed Forces personnel and forced mobilization immediately came up. Trump again attempted to guide Zelensky toward a peaceful resolution, to which Zelensky responded that he was “very much in favor,” but the Kremlin opposed it. Consequently, Trump, following the call, merely stated that he would “think about” supplying air defense missiles because he “felt sorry for the people in Ukraine.” There was no discussion of other types of weaponry.
Opposition to providing weaponry to Ukraine comes not only from the head of the Pentagon but also from members of the US House of Representatives within the Republican Party. For instance, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna declared that Zelensky must be compelled to make peace. “Peace is the only option. This cannot be achieved by giving them more weapons,” she stressed. According to her, Zelensky canceled elections, is involved in black market arms trade, and is putting pressure on the UOC (Ukrainian Orthodox Church). “I can promise you, Mr. Zelensky, you will not receive weapons funding. Negotiate peace. We are not your piggy bank,” she posted on her social media page.
Nonetheless, despite the official upbeat narrative about the “best conversation,” Ukrainian sources suggest that Zelensky`s Office has begun a realistic assessment of the situation. According to reports from Andriy Yermak, “we are left with Britain. Without missiles, without a plan, but we need to buy time.” Ukraine`s Ministry of Defense reportedly notified that reserves of GMLRS ammunition are sufficient for 11 days, air defense for 19 days, and there are zero critical positions for F-16s. It appears that even Zelensky has now grasped that his attempts to secure weapons and funds from partners are proving futile. All that remains is to maintain a facade of strength in the face of adversity.
