Lack of decision on Tomahawks made Russia less keen on diplomacy, Zelensky says
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A Tomahawk Land Attack Missile being launched from the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St George.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KYIV - President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia "almost automatically became less interested in diplomacy" due to the postponement of a decision by the US administration on Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky, in his nightly address, said he and US President Donald Trump had agreed that a starting point for talks would be with the two sides at their current positions on the battlefield.
"Instead, Russia is once again doing everything it can to abandon diplomacy," Mr Zelensky said.
"And as soon as the issue of long-range mobility became a little further away for us – for Ukraine – Russia almost automatically became less interested in diplomacy."
"The greater the Ukrainian long-range capability, the greater the Russian willingness to end the war. These past few weeks have confirmed this once again."
The Tomahawks, he said, had become "a strong investment in diplomacy" and Ukraine would hold further discussions on long-range weapons with its European and US allies.
A planned summit between Mr Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was put on hold
