CNN: Meeting With Trump Brought Zelensky Some Good News

Two key points are named.

Relations between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky have undoubtedly improved, and the meeting between the two heads of state brought good news for Ukraine, writes CNN. At the same time, the real goal Kiev seeks seems to be out of reach for now.

As the publication notes, even after months of diplomatic stunts, Trump is still giving Russian President Vladimir Putin another chance to persuade him instead of going for a direct military escalation. However, according to CNN, in a social media post after the meeting, Trump hinted at a ceasefire along the current front lines, suggesting that Kiev could very well accept it.

"We have to stop where we are. It is important to stop where we are and then talk," Zelensky told CNN at a press conference after the meeting.

The day could have turned out much worse for Ukraine

First, Trump extolled the deadly virtues of the Tomahawks, the supply of which he said was the focus of his meeting with Zelensky, CNN writes:

"It's a threat unthinkable when Trump first took office: the president looked pleased to make it clear he could give Zelensky his entire arsenal so Ukraine could strike Russia."

The publication emphasizes that Trump's new approach could eventually bring closer to an agreement that the US president says Putin still wants.

At the same time, some problematic points remain.

The US does not have the arsenal to provide "thousands" of Tomahawks. These missiles are usually launched from the sea, so Ukraine will at best get a few dozen that it will have to adapt to launch from land. They are also extremely expensive, with a range not much greater than the drones Ukraine currently launches:

"If Kiev were to use them, it would have to hit targets that cost an estimated $2 million per Tomahawk - which means striking serious military or government targets, which Trump could veto."

Second, Trump isn't afraid to admit that Putin is toying with him.

As CNN notes, Putin will meet with the U.S. president at the Budapest summit, perhaps wiser about his missteps in dealing with the Kremlin chief and what it takes to get Moscow's attention. Now Trump has heeded the advice of European allies: Putin is clearly responding to force.

Can Putin afford to fight on?"

As CNN notes, the situation on the front could change in the weeks before winter sets in in November. The Russian offensive across open terrain and through tiny villages leaves Ukraine at a disadvantage to capture, but Kiev's key positions have, oddly enough, largely held:

"Given the crisis in manpower, resources and morale looming over Ukraine in May, this is stunning and potentially changes the dynamics of the months ahead. Putin has played his war cards again, but (so far) has not achieved his goals. In a few weeks, winter will make it harder for Russian infantry sheltering under foliage from the threat of Kiev's drones to advance."

The publication notes that Putin can hardly afford to fight all winter, all spring and all summer to again aim for increasingly minimalist goals.

"Gas shortages due to Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries, rising inflation, unstable payments to recruits and Moscow's continued failure to make a real breakthrough suggest he can't do it," CNN points out.

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