Russia on Monday night hit a Ukrainian hospital in its continued intensive aerial campaign, just hours after President Donald Trump said he would “speak” with Moscow on giving Kyiv Tomahawk missiles in a thinly veiled threat.
Russia, which has repeatedly claimed it does not target civilians, has routinely hit hospitals throughout its more than three-and-a-half-year-long war, and injured six patients in the Kharkiv region after it hit a facility housing more than 100 patients with precision-guided KAB bombs, reported local news outlet the Kyiv Independent.
Just hours prior, Trump, while on board Air Force One Monday morning, told Fox News that he might have to “speak” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on what Russia could be facing should the U.S. hand over the sophisticated weaponry to Ukraine.
KREMLIN WARNS IT ‘COULD END BADLY FOR EVERYONE’ IF US SUPPLIES UKRAINE LONG-RANGE MISSILES
“They need Patriots very badly. They’d like to have tomahawks – that’s a step up,” Trump said following a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday.
“They’d like to have Tomahawks. We talked about that and so we’ll see. I don’t know, I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest with you, about Tomahawks,” he added in reference to the high-precision long-range cruise missile. “Do they want to have the Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so.”
Zelenskyy and Trump are set to meet in Washington on Friday to discuss Ukraine’s air defenses and advancing the pressure on Putin as Europe and the U.S. look to counter his increasingly aggressive posture.
“The main topics of the visit are air defense and our long-range capabilities to put pressure on Russia for the sake of peace,” Zelenskyy said Monday, though he noted that he will also be meeting with defense and energy officials, as well as possibly attending some meetings on Capitol Hill with lawmakers.
Ukraine has long sought more air defense as Russia has heavily relied on drone and missile assaults to pound civilian targets, including residential buildings, schools as well as maternity and children’s hospitals, since the onslaught of the war.
“Now, as the war in the Middle East is coming to an end, it is important not to lose the momentum in spreading peace. The war in Europe can also be brought to a close, and for this, the leadership of both the United States and other partners is of utmost importance,” Zelenskyy said.
Trump on Monday also suggested now that a ceasefire has been forged between Israel and Hamas – though it has not been fully realized as it can not advance to the second phase in the agreement until all deceased hostages are returned from the Gaza Strip – he wanted to turn his focus to ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump suggested that if Russia is unwilling to “settle” the war, the U.S. would send Ukraine the Tomahawk missiles it has long sought. Though it remains unclear what will prove to Trump whether Putin is interested in ending his military ambitions in Ukraine, as Putin has continued to hit civilian targets despite numerous meetings between not only him and Trump, but with other White House officials, since Trump re-entered office.
Security experts have been warning for months that Putin is not interested in ending his war in Ukraine, and will continue to pose a threat against other European nations.
“I really think that President Putin would look great if he got this settled,” Trump said. “And I think he’s going to settle it. Look, we’re going to see. And if he doesn’t, it’s not going to be good for him.”
