If Russian President Vladimir Putin considers sending Tomahawks to Ukraine a true escalation, then he might want to come to heel finally to President Donald Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, former National Security Council chief of staff Fred Fleitz told Newsmax.
"Trump's not closing the door to a peaceful settlement, and talk is good," Fleitz told "America Right Now." "Remember, there were no negotiations to end the war under [former President Joe] Biden.
"But, frankly, if Putin defies him again, if these talks go nowhere, if Putin is just wasting time, I think the Tomahawks will be on the way to Ukraine."
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed at a White House meeting Friday that Tomahawk cruise missiles are not necessary right now if Putin agrees to the ceasefire Trump sought Aug. 15 in the Putin summit in Alaska.
"Many press reports are saying that the president backed away from giving Tomahawks to Ukraine," Fleitz told host Tom Basile, adding but that is because "there's this possibility for a peaceful settlement."
Trump's goal has always been peace over escalation, but "peace through strength" brought Trump to talk about selling Tomahawks to NATO, which could pass them on to Ukraine to help defend against Russia's aggressions, if not take the offense deep into Russian territory.
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Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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