Ukraine Adviser Says Trump's Tomahawk Threat Pushed Russia to Negotiate Second Summit
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Russia agreed to resume peace talks on Ukraine after President Donald Trump threatened to provide Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk missiles, demonstrating how military leverage can force diplomatic engagement, a former Ukrainian defence adviser said Thursday.
Yuri Sak, who previously advised Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, told ABC Afternoon Briefing that Russia’s willingness to negotiate emerged immediately after Trump publicly floated the possibility of supplying the powerful cruise missiles to Ukraine.
“If you look at how Russian leadership responded to the possibility of the U.S. giving Ukraine the long-range Tomahawk missiles, you know, they immediately expressed the willingness to negotiate,” Sak said.
Trump announced Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to meet in Budapest for a second summit on ending the war, following what the U.S. president described as a productive phone conversation. The first summit in Alaska was widely viewed as unsuccessful.
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Peace Through Force Strategy
Sak attributed the diplomatic breakthrough to what he called a “peace through force” approach, suggesting Trump’s threat to escalate military support created the conditions for negotiation.
“The U.S., as Ukraine’s strategic partner, has leverages that it can use to achieve what Donald Trump achieved in Middle East, peace through force,” Sak said. “I mean, that’s the only formula that works.”
The Ukrainian adviser said Trump’s recent success brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict has positioned the president to pursue similar diplomatic victories in Ukraine.
“Donald Trump, just a few days ago, achieved something that many thought was impossible in the Middle East, the ceasefire and the Israel-Gaza situation,” Sak said. “So he’s now probably in the mood for continuing this success of ending wars.”
Trump’s Evolving Understanding
Sak said Trump’s grasp of battlefield realities has shifted substantially since the Alaska summit, citing regular communication between Ukrainian officials and the White House.
“We are communicating with the White House on a regular basis, and we are very transparent and honest,” he said. “And that means that Donald Trump by now understands, and he proved it, you know, he said it so many times already openly in his interviews. He understands that Russian economy is in bad shape. He understands that Russian army is not doing so well as Putin would like him to believe.”
The changing dynamics have strengthened Trump’s position as a potential peace broker, according to Sak.
“The negotiating power or brokering, peace brokering power of Donald Trump today is in a different place compared to where it was just a few months ago,” he said.
Ukrainian Skepticism on Russian Intentions
Despite welcoming the prospect of renewed negotiations, Sak expressed deep skepticism about whether Russia genuinely seeks peace or simply aims to buy time.
“We shouldn’t hold our breath. We were always skeptical about Russia’s intentions because we see them every day outside our windows,” he said. “The massive combined missile and drone attacks on Ukraine continue. The killing of people continues.”
Sak framed the diplomatic landscape in stark terms, contrasting the motivations of the three key leaders.
“Essentially, what we have here is we have Donald Trump who wants to end the war. We have President Zelenskyy who wants to end the war. And we have an indicted war criminal, Putin, who wants to end Ukraine, not the war,” he said.
The Ukrainian adviser acknowledged that Russia has historically negotiated in bad faith.
“We still are skeptical about, you know, their intentions. They’ve never done that in good faith,” he said.
Zelenskyy Engages U.S. Defence Industry
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was already in the United States conducting meetings with defence industry representatives when Sak spoke to ABC, having arrived ahead of his scheduled Oval Office meeting with Trump.
“President Zelenskyy actually is already in the U.S. and his team, and yesterday they’ve had very productive meetings with representatives of the U.S. defense industry,” Sak said.
The meetings focused on partnerships between Ukrainian and American defence sectors, with Sak emphasizing Ukraine’s battlefield expertise as valuable to U.S. strategic partners.
“Right now, on the table, we have many partnerships and cooperation between our defense industries, because as you understand, Ukraine now has a unique knowledge of modern warfare, and we are willing and ready to share our expertise with our strategic partners, such as the U.S.,” he said.
Measured Expectations for Summit Outcome
Sak cautioned against viewing the upcoming Trump-Putin summit as a make-or-break moment, describing it instead as part of an ongoing diplomatic process.
“We need to understand that regardless of what will happen or what will be said following today’s meeting, this is only part of the process,” he said. “And we should not be trapped into thinking that, well, whatever happens today will be a sign of either complete success or the other way.”
Despite the uncertainty, Sak expressed cautious optimism about the potential for progress.
“So we hope this will be a productive meeting and we hope this will bring us closer to peace,” he said.
When asked whether Ukrainian officials felt nervous given the poor results of the first Trump-Putin summit, Sak acknowledged ongoing concerns.
“There are always nerves because this is a large war and this is a war that has taken a lot of lives and told our peaceful citizens and cities,” he said.
Ukraine’s Domestic Defence Capabilities
Sak highlighted Ukraine’s expanding ability to produce its own long-range strike weapons, suggesting the country has developed significant military capacity independent of foreign support.
“We have been really successful in producing for example our own long-range capabilities. We are producing, capable of producing now, uh, more than 45,000 deep strike drones,” he said. “These are the drones that you see every day destroying Russian oil refineries and bringing Russian economy to its knees.”
The production figure represents a substantial increase in Ukraine’s domestic defence manufacturing, providing Kyiv with indigenous strike capabilities that can reach targets deep inside Russia.
Sak invoked a Ukrainian saying to describe the country’s approach to the war and peace negotiations.
“In Ukraine we have this saying, trust in God and the armed forces of Ukraine,” he said. “So that’s our main safety net.”
Combining Ukrainian Resolve With American Leverage
The former defence adviser suggested that pairing Ukraine’s military determination with Trump’s negotiating tactics could create conditions for a sustainable peace agreement.
“If our capacity, if our will to fight and defend our country is combined with the, uh, negotiating and deal-making skills of Donald Trump and the leverages that he had, I think we are in for a good, you know, chance for peace,” Sak said.
The statement reflected a broader Ukrainian strategy of maintaining military pressure on Russia while supporting diplomatic efforts led by the United States.
Context on Tomahawk Missiles
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One earlier this week that he might tell Russia he would send Tomahawks to Ukraine if peace talks fail to progress.
“I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,’” Trump said. “The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.”
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile has a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, potentially allowing Ukraine to strike anywhere within Russia, including Moscow. Russia has warned that providing such weapons would represent a major escalation.
Trump has since expressed hesitation about actually delivering the missiles, citing concerns about depleting U.S. stockpiles.
“We need them too, so I don’t know what we can do about that,” he said.
Summit Timeline Remains Unclear
Trump said the Budapest summit would occur “within two weeks or so,” though no specific date has been set. The meeting follows Trump’s phone conversation with Putin, which the U.S. president characterized as productive.
Sak’s comments provided insight into how Ukrainian officials view the diplomatic developments, balancing hope for progress with wariness about Russian commitment to genuine peace negotiations.
The interview revealed Ukraine’s dual-track approach of building domestic military capabilities while supporting international diplomatic efforts, positioning the country to continue fighting if negotiations fail while remaining open to a negotiated settlement if Russia demonstrates serious intent.
Ukrainian officials appear to view Trump’s willingness to use military assistance as diplomatic leverage as potentially effective, though they remain focused on ensuring any peace agreement protects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
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