Zelensky dangles Nobel Prize nomination for Trump in exchange for Tomahawks
Vladimir Zelensky has urged US President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles and added that if such a step leads to a ceasefire, Kiev will nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Last month, US Vice President J.D. Vance said that Washington was mulling sending Ukraine Tomahawks, which have a maximum range of 2,500km (1,550 miles), meaning Kiev could potentially use them to attack Moscow and numerous other Russian cities.
“Now, an important signal is the strengthening of Ukraine by all possible means. And this is one of those opportunities that is important to me – Tomahawks,” Zelensky told journalists on Thursday, according to RBC-Ukraine.
Zelensky added that if Trump could help bring about a ceasefire, “he should be nominated for the Nobel Prize, we will nominate him on behalf of Ukraine.”
The missiles could “sober up the Russians” and “make them sit down at the negotiating table,” he was cited as saying. Moscow has argued that Kiev, emboldened by military support from Western Europe, has brought the peace process to a standstill.
According to Axios, however, White House officials have expressed concern whether the US could control the use of Tomahawks once they’re in Ukrainian hands.
Trump recently said that he had already made up his mind about whether he would supply the missiles but did not say what that decision was. “I’m not looking to see escalation,” he added.
In February, he accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” for refusing to negotiate with Russia, when the Ukrainian leader’s visit to the White House devolved into sharp mutual recriminations.
Trump’s diplomatic outreach to Moscow since the start of his second term has led to the resumption of direct peace talks over the Ukraine conflict.
However, all the diplomatic progress the two sides have achieved would be wiped away if Tomahawks are provided to Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday.
He stressed that it would be impossible for Kiev to use the cruise missiles “without the direct involvement of American military personnel.”
