Reflecting Volodymyr Zelensky’s confidence that the Trumpster would oblige him, he, Zelensky, actually visited Raytheon, the Tomahawk’s maker, before his session at the White House.
Zelensky at the White House on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (White House video screenshot.)
By Patrick Lawrence
Special to Consortium News
What a big game Volodymyr Zelensky talked before his latest little while in the Oval Office last Friday.
The Ukrainian president (who is no longer legitimately the Ukrainian president) arrived for another summit with President Trump with a shopping list of air defense and weapons systems worth $90 billion.
Yes, $90 billion. This compares with $128 billion the United States has already given Ukraine since the Russian intervention began in February 2022, according to a Council on Foreign Relations report dated July 15, 2025.
Playing to Trump’s penchant for keeping everything business, Zelensky said Ukraine would purchase all the new hardware in what he called “a mega deal.” What nonsense. Kiev is flat broke. How could the regime possibly pay for new weapons and matériel?
Would Kiev write Washington a check out of funds Washington has previously sent? Or does Zelensky mean NATO, which is supposed to buy American weaponry to pass on to Ukraine, will finance his shopping list? Zelensky now speaks for the European end of the Atlantic alliance, is it?
The only other thought I have is that the Zelensky regime intends to pay for the new gear with the billions of euros the Europeans promise to send Kiev — the billions, that is, the Europeans now plan to steal from Russia’s frozen assets. But that money is supposed to keep Kiev in pencils and paper clips for a short while longer.
Oh, what tangled webs these people weave. Or propose to weave.
But the hopelessly corrupt Zelensky had more than a 70 percent raise on his mind when he arrived in Washington. The master importunist also wanted an unstated number — let’s just say a lot — of Tomahawk missiles atop this.
Tomahawks, long-range missiles capable of a nuclear payload, go for $2 million to $2.5 million apiece, and by the reporting I have seen the idea was Trump would send these gratis. Reflecting Zelensky’s confidence that the Trumpster would oblige him, he, Zelensky, actually visited Raytheon, the Tomahawk’s maker, before his session at the White House.
This is a crook with nerve: You have to give Volodymyr this much.
More weapons, fewer talks: This was the Kiev regime’s clever-sounding but very stupid formula as Zelensky prepared to shake the bowl once again. Time to start hitting Russian targets relentlessly. It is the only way to get Moscow seriously to negotiate an end to the war. This is the latest line.
In the event, Zelensky’s time in the Oval Office was not as awkward as that mess he made when he first met Trump last February. But it was in that direction. The protocol people seated Vlod so his back was to the journalists covering the event — a subtle but unmistakable dis, this. And when Zelensky briefed media afterward, they made him do so outside the White House.
Trump Axes the Tomahawks
Trump eyes reporters suspiciously as he ushers Zelensky into the White House on Friday. (White House video screenshot)
No Tomahawks for Volod, then, at least none now. Trump made this clear before, during and after his time with the Ukrainian mooch. The fate of the rest on Zelensky’s list is unclear, but my guess is Kiev will get what the Europeans buy from U.S. weapons makers and send south across the Polish border.
The decisive moment in this — the decisive two hours, this is to say — came a day before Zelensky’s White House visit, when Trump took a call from Vladimir Putin and spent as many hours talking to the Russian president. By all accounts Trump’s then-pending decision on the Tomahawks question took up a considerable part of the exchange.
Trump’s comments afterward testify to this. “Tomahawk is a vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive weapon,” he said immediately following the call. “Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them.”
Speaking just as he began talks with Zelensky, Trump remarked, “Hopefully we will be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks.”
The argument is commonly made that Donald Trump thinks and believes what the last person he has spoken to tells him is so. And fair enough: Trump is plainly a man of shallow intellect and has no sound judgment in matters of state.
The easy out for this kind of person is to repeat with faux-conviction the views of anyone whose judgments, whatever they may be, are respected. But to suggest that Putin has an easy time “playing” Trump in this fashion, as do mainstream media and those whose views these media faithfully reflect, is a cynical dodge.
You get cast into the darkness for saying this, but never mind that: Vladimir Putin is a demonstrably accomplished statesman, and he is the only principal in the Ukraine crisis who makes a credible case for an enduring settlement — this not only between Moscow and Kiev but between Russia and the West.
The security of one nation cannot be established at the expense of the security of any other nation: This is basic to sound diplomacy and is the core of Moscow’s case. This is what Putin and those in his national security circle mean when they insist on addressing root causes.
As the late Stephen F. Cohen taught me years ago, Russia’s position vis-à-vis the West is not about spheres of influence, which we can count a 19th century anachronism: It is about spheres of security, and you cannot name a nation that does not shape its foreign policies with this as an objective.
Tomahawks & Perilous Escalation
A Raytheon Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile during flight test at NAWS China Lake, California, 2002. (U.S. Navy via Wikimedia Commons)
As to the Tomahawks, Putin, as well-reported, advised Trump that shipping Tomahawks to a regime as irresponsible as Kiev would fundamentally damage any prospect of a restoration in U.S.–Russian relations and force an escalation of the war.
This is so, not least but not only because the Russians would not be able to tell if an incoming missile bore a nuclear warhead. It would take Americans, equally, to operate them as the Ukrainians cannot do so on their own.
Tell me, was it sensible of Putin to urge Trump not to send the Ukrainians Tomahawks, or are we supposed to think of this some other way?
It is very tiresome at this point to read the mainstream press describe the Russian position. “Monotonous” may be my better word.
The Washington Post: Russia manipulates Trump “by continually dangling hopes of peace deal while it ramps up attacks.” And: “Russia rules out a ceasefire so that fighting can continue.” And: “Putin has refused to offer concessions.”
The New York Times: “Russia rebuffs President Trump’s diplomatic push.” And: “… Moscow’s decision to spurn negotiations while ramping up deadly attacks.”
None of this is true, of course — not an f–ing word of it. All this repetitive language is deployed merely to avoid stating Moscow’s true position. It is too sound for that — too much in the cause of a peace to the benefit of all sides.
I do not like the sound of that $90 billion number Zelensky and his people put about before the Oval Office encounter last week. The extravagance of it suggests that the Zelensky regime and the Europeans — and the Euros serve as his North Star now, given they are mutually delusional — intend the war with Russia to go on indefinitely, never mind Ukraine and its Western sponsors lost it a long time back.
Life on Desperation Row, let’s call this.
Trump is now scheduled to meet Putin for another summit in two weeks’ time, this one in Budapest. I see little coming of it.
In my read, the Trumpster may have grasped the validity of the Russian view of the war and its resolution as far back as the Alaska summit in mid–August. There is no knowing this, of course.
The grim reality is that it is unlikely to matter either way: There are too many constituencies with an interest in keeping the Ukraine conflict going.
It is one of those cases wherein it would be a very good thing to be wrong.
Patrick Lawrence, a correspondent abroad for many years, chiefly for the International Herald Tribune, is a columnist, essayist, lecturer and author, most recently of Journalists and Their Shadows, available from Clarity Press or via Amazon. Other books include Time No Longer: Americans After the American Century. His Twitter account, @thefloutist, has been restored after years of being permanently censored.
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The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
Nooooo doubt about it, “Desperation Row,” ‘is one of those cases wherein,” Patrick Lawrence, once, again, is “Right as Rain,” about “The Root Causes;” the Shank Meister, the Pianist, “Tomahawks”, Hosel Rockets; &, Vladimir Putin, i.e., “it [is absophknlutely] “sensible of Putin to urge Trump not to send the Ukrainians Tomahawks.” TY!!!
… “There’s a word in golf so feared that many players refuse to say it out loud, treating it like a curse that might strike if uttered. We’re talking about the shank. Hitting one can be jarring, confusing, and downright demoralizing. A shank occurs when the golf ball makes contact with the hosel of the golf club. The hosel is the small, cylindrical part of the clubhead where the shaft is connected. It’s a completely round, an un-grooved piece of metal. When the ball hits this area instead of the flat clubface, it caroms off at a wildly unpredictable, sharp angle – usually low and almost 90 degrees to the right for a right-handed golfer (and left for a leftie). At its core, every single shank is caused by the same fundamental error: the center of your clubface is farther away from your body at impact than it was when you set up at address.”
…..“Think of trying to hammer a nail with the side of the hammerhead instead of the flat face. All the energy is deflected, and there is no solid, forward propulsion. That’s a shank in a nutshell”. DJ “a lousy golfer” Trump “shanks” everything!
Hence, Volodymyr “El Chapo” Zelensky’s groveling for Tomahawks, got shanked! Trumped, “BIGLY”, by the dreaded “hosel rocket,” ‘the ball goes rocketing sideways.” Volodymyr “El Chapo” Zelensky “might shake it off, but what if it happens again and again and again? (They seem to come in bunches.)
The first step is admitting Volodymyr “El Chapo’s” Zelensky, a defacto president, rocks problems, 1) He got the shanks; 2) In diplomacy, imo, he’s persona non grata. “Not, good. Buhlieve, me. Not, good!”
Another great column from Patrick, and excellent comments from readers–the only intelligent discussion of Ukraine anywhere. I’m giving another $50 to Consortium, and urge you do so too.
Or could it be that Putin told Trump in Alaska that he is willing to stop after the Russians finish taking Donetsk? The Oblasts to the west could be frozen at the current lines.
This way Ukraine will not have to cede territory they now occupy. Trump is just playing for time to let Putin get this done.
Dear Patrick, is it possible for you to write an article about ‘Why Zelenski changed after he took office, from a peace president into a war one’?
In an interview with Prof Glenn Diesen, Mike Benz explains this to a large degree. Most western audiences don’t realise the power of Nationalists/Neo-Nazis behind him.
Here is the link to this great interview:
hxxps://youtu.be/33vwRTrSmv8
Thank you,Patrick, for another informative piece on the facts about the war in Ukraine. I find it remarkable that Trump seems to respect the conversations he has with Putin. Love your choices of the words you use!
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
“This is a crook with nerve.”
Not enough nerve to stand up to the right-wing of his own country.
Good article. I’m not so certain about “…plainly a man of shallow intellect and has no sound judgment in matters of state”, though. Well, depending on what “shallow intellect” and “no sound judgment” mean.
Yes, he utters a lot of nonsense, but it seems that there might be “method” there after all. Also, it seems that a lot of his nonsense is just trolling (the “paper tiger” comment last month, for example). Personally, I would be quite surprised if Z got any of those missiles.
I think Trump wants to get along with powerful players (Russia, China, India. Even N.Korea), rather than fighting them. And I do NOT think he is operating under the impression that Ukraine can seriously weaken Russia (direct confrontation with Western Europe probably would, but that’s a bit much). Simple logic. Simple but sound.
Agree. Despite the showmanship, Trump is almost the only leader in the west seeking PEACE. Frankly, I am fed up with these stupid white people who started TWO colossal wars in the 20th century that killed 60 million souls and left probably 500 million widowed, orphaned, maimed and/or homeless. ENOUGH.
PS: I’m an old white female professional who voted Democrat for over 50 years. My contempt for what these stupid people have done to the party of FDR and JFK grows daily.
Don’t get me wrong: I hate most of his foreign policy, especially in Palestine, and now in Venezuela. But that doesn’t mean he “believes what the last person he has spoken to tells him”. I think he has beliefs and he follows his beliefs. They are probably rather simplistic, yes, but it’s nothing like “what he heard from the last person”.
The meeting reportedly did not go well. Good!
I very much hope that Trump has declined to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to the Ukraine.
The Daily Telegraph recently reported how the prospects of peace are not good news for armaments companies:
“Almost £7bn has been wiped off Britain’s biggest arms manufacturers after the US president unveiled plans for new peace talks over Ukraine, fuelling hopes for an end to the conflict…”
Headline: “Ukraine peace talks wipe almost £7bn off defence (sic) giants”
Sub-headline: “Ceasefire possibility leads to sharp sell-off ahead of meeting between Trump and Putin”
(Daily Telegraph, 17 October 2025).
Great Article! What a complete betrayal by all politicians and media in the U.S. in being complicit with imperialist forever war propaganda in the U.S./NATO/Ukraine war on Russia. Not even one willing to speak truth. Keep on shouting! People are listening.
This is outrageous theft, not only from the Russian banks and the Eurpean investors but from multimillions of American savers as well. You know, the ones gutted to the bone by Trumps Depression. Or, maybe that’s the purported “genius” of this latest brain dropping by Trump. We all perish together so there is no “blame” left to pass on.
Excellent assessment on the Zelensky/Trump/Raytheon/ Tomahawk imbroglio, Patrick.
Putin is one of the few level-headed thinkers and leaders in the world today, and I think even the uneducated, low-information con artist in the White House knows this and heeded V P’s “nyet” on giving the Uko clown those expensive missiles. And the Zionist controlled EU stealing Russian money will backfire on Western Europe.
I think the only other intelligent and rational leader in Europe now is Victor Orband of Hungary, who is pulling out of the European Union and joining the Brics.
Interesting times!
Another article underestimating Trump.
” Trump thinks and believes whatever he heard from the last person he spoke to.”
This was true of his first term in office. He has come so far now. Trump can now believe and repeat the words of the second to last person he spoke to. Sometimes even as much as a week after.
It really speaks volumes for supporting the idea of a third term. He could well become a better than average President.
Yes, Mr. Lawrence, the forces aligned to profit from the continuation of the war in Ukraine between NATO and Russia are many, and the chance of magical peace at the Budapest summit is nearly non-existent.
There is one factor which has been consistently ignored in all discussions I’ve recently seen regarding the war — the lack of support for it by the people of Ukraine. This, in my humble opinion, will combine with the collapse of the Ukranian military which is happening on the frontlines.
Peace comes before political agreement, by force, when one side refuses to fight, because it cannot.
This is the point towards which the Political West is driving Ukraine. “Until the last Ukranian” is the shorthand for this dispicable Western objective.
Add to your observation, the lack of support for Ukranian refugees. In the initial stages of the SMO, the propaganda to welcome the Ukranian people in the UK was tantamount to obscenity. And of course the brits fell for it. As they fall for any propaganda deployed by the msm/government. The fund raising/flags/housing etc was plastered on every website/fb/social media outlet. Fast forward 6/9 months: the government subsidized £300 per month allowance for housing Ukranian refugees was not renewed by many initial hoodwinked supporters. Because the bloody brits realized these Ukranians weren’t like them: they didn’t speak the same language; they didn’t eat the same food; their values were different.
So now I wonder what happened to those people who were forced onto the naïve british public.
There are no more Ukranian flags adorned in windows/gardens etc No more facebook/social media outlets rooting for the Ukranians. No more monetary drives to aid the Ukranians.
This is the shallowness exhibited by the “general public” instigated by way of government/media manipulation. The government got their desired support, then left everyone to their own devices.
Do not for one instant think i side with nato or the west on this issue. I merely point out the machinations.
The Pet Shop Boys still have the Ukrainian flag’s colours on their website, and just this year they recorded a hymn of praise to the late Russian capitalist Alex Navalny called, obscurely, ‘Hymn (In memoriam Alexei Navalny)’.
You say they [the Ukrainians] didn’t speak the same language. And even more telling, most of the refugees in Britain actually speak Russian rather than Ukrainian.
Most of the refugees in Switzerland also speak Russian for the simple reason that they are ethnic Russians who fled Ukraine owing to threats against “those of impure blood” / “Untermenschen” that the Nazi regime had reduced them too once the use of the Russian language in public had been made illegal.
Switzerland agreed to take some 100,000 Ukrainians, but in the end took only about 70,000 because the Swiss accepted only those qualified to work in areas where there was a demand for their skills, training and experience.