The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

Zelensky calls out White House over Tomahawk missiles leak — 'it was confidential'

by Martin Fornusek October 30, 2024 2:32 PM  (Updated: ) 2 min read
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with US President Joe Biden during an event with world leaders launching a Joint Declaration of Support for Ukrainian Recovery and Reconstruction on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 25, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

President Volodymyr Zelensky complained on Oct. 30 that Ukraine's request for Tomahawk missiles was "confidential information" between partners, after a leak in the U.S. media.

The New York Times reported on Oct. 29 that, according to undisclosed U.S. officials, the request for Tomahawk missiles with a range of 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) was part of the secretive "non-nuclear deterrence package" included in Ukraine's victory plan.

The sources told the outlet that Washington was unconvinced that Ukraine needed the weaponry and was reluctant to supply them due to their limited numbers.

"It was confidential information between Ukraine and the White House. How to understand these messages?" Zelensky said during a press briefing with journalists from Nordic countries.

"So this means (that) between partners, there is no (confidentiality)."

According to Zelensky, Ukraine requested the missiles on the condition that it would deploy them only if Russia refused to end its war and de-escalate.

"I said that this is a preventive method. I was told that it is an escalation," Zelensky said.

Kyiv has been trying to secure additional assistance from U.S. President Joe Biden before he leaves office in January. There are fears that Washington might scale down its support if Republican nominee Donald Trump wins the election on Nov. 5.

Facing Russian military advances and increasingly uncertain Western support, Zelensky pitched the five-step victory plan, containing steps that should supposedly end the war by 2025.

Some points of the plan were met with a lukewarm response from partners, with the White House still refusing to permit long-range strikes on Russian territory and several countries resisting a NATO invitation for Ukraine.

Trump plans to end Russia’s war in Ukraine by freezing it if he wins presidential election, FT reports
Fred Fleitz, a former CIA analyst who served in Trump’s White House and is now at the America First Policy Institute Center for American Security, suggested in an interview with the FT that Ukraine’s membership in NATO could be taken off the agenda for several years to force Russia to the negotiatin…

News Feed

8:06 AM  (Updated: )

Zelensky visits South Africa but cuts trip short after mass Russian strike.

"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
8:08 PM

Ukrainians react to US proposal of recognizing Crimea as Russian.

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.
7:21 PM  (Updated: )

Trump says 'nobody is asking' Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian.

"Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.