Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, hoping to secure American-made Tomahawk missiles even as Trump prepares for a new round of diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This marks Zelensky’s third visit to Washington since Trump returned to office in January, following a turbulent Oval Office encounter in February and a more conciliatory meeting in August. The US president’s approach to the war in Ukraine has remained unpredictable, shifting between support and a push for rapid de-escalation.
Trump’s latest pivot came on the eve of Zelensky’s arrival. The president announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks in what he described as a fresh attempt to broker peace and end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fourth year.
Zelensky had hoped the visit would serve to strengthen US support and increase pressure on Moscow, especially by securing long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Russian territory. But Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in 24 hours, appears increasingly focused on a diplomatic breakthrough following his high-profile role in last week’s Gaza ceasefire agreement.
“We expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote on X after arriving in Washington on Thursday.
He added that merely raising the possibility of Tomahawk deliveries had already rattled the Kremlin.
“We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” Zelensky said.
During his visit, the Ukrainian president met with executives from US defense contractor Raytheon, which manufactures both Tomahawk missiles and Patriot air defense systems. He also held discussions with Lockheed Martin, the producer of F-16 fighter jets, about deeper defense cooperation and prospects for joint US-Ukrainian weapons production.
Trump signals hesitation
However, Trump cast doubt on whether Ukraine will receive the missiles. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said the US could not afford to “deplete” its own arsenal.
“We need them too, so I don’t know what we can do about that,” Trump said.
The president also revealed that Putin reacted negatively when he raised the potential transfer of Tomahawks during a recent phone call.
“He didn’t like it,” Trump said.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, confirmed preparations are already underway for the Budapest summit, describing the Trump-Putin conversation as “extremely frank and trustful.”
Putin reportedly warned that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks would neither shift the dynamics on the battlefield nor help diplomatic efforts.
“It would not change the situation and would damage the prospects for a peaceful resolution,” said Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to the Russian president.
Shifting dynamics
Trump’s relationships with both Putin and Zelensky have seen dramatic swings since his return to the White House. Initially warming to the Kremlin, Trump’s frustration with Putin has grown in recent months—particularly after a fruitless meeting in Alaska, which yielded no progress on ending the war.
Zelensky, on the other hand, has managed to restore his standing in Washington after a tense and public confrontation in February, when Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance harshly criticized him in front of cameras.
The Ukrainian leader returned in August with a new strategy—donning a formal suit after previous criticism of his casual attire, and arriving with several Western leaders in a show of united support.
As Trump prepares for his next diplomatic overture in Budapest, Ukraine’s hopes of securing key US weapons may now hinge on Zelensky’s ability to keep American attention focused on his country’s fight—even as Trump looks toward potential legacy-defining breakthroughs on multiple global fronts.
AFP
