Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday seeking long-range Tomahawk missiles, but instead found Washington leaning toward peace talks with Moscow. Trump, preparing for an upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasized diplomacy over armament, saying both sides “just need to get along a little bit.”
Zelenskiy candidly told Trump that Ukraine had thousands of drones ready for offensive operations but lacked the firepower to strike Russian targets effectively. “We don’t have Tomahawks, that’s why we need Tomahawks,” he said. Trump, however, replied that the U.S. preferred not to deplete its own stockpiles, asserting, “We want Tomahawks also.”
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Following their lunch meeting, Zelenskiy described the talks as “productive” but admitted no progress was made on new weapon supplies. He instead pinned hopes on Trump’s ability to pressure Putin to halt the war. Trump later posted on Truth Social, declaring, “It’s time to stop the killing and make a DEAL!”
As Russia claims to have captured nearly 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory this year, Trump’s focus on diplomacy has stirred European unease—raising fears of a settlement favoring Moscow over Kyiv’s battlefield resilience.
