Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Donald Trump at the White House Friday, seeking US-made Tomahawk missiles even as the US president reaches out to Russia’s Vladimir Putin for a fresh summit.
Zelensky’s trip marks his third visit to Washington since Trump returned to office. His previous visits included a disastrous televised shouting match in February and a reconciliatory meeting in August. Trump’s stance on the war has fluctuated, creating uncertainty for Ukraine.
On the eve of Zelensky’s visit, Trump announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest. This meeting aims to negotiate a peace deal and end Moscow’s invasion, which began in 2022. Ukraine hoped Zelensky’s trip would increase pressure on Putin, particularly by acquiring long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.
Despite his previous claims of being able to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, Trump now appears focused on achieving a new diplomatic breakthrough. This follows the recent Gaza ceasefire deal he brokered last week.
Zelensky’s Optimism and Concerns
Zelensky expressed hope upon arriving in Washington. He believes Trump’s success with the Gaza deal could lead to results in Ukraine. “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 stated on X.
He insisted that the threat of Tomahawk missiles has pressured Moscow to negotiate. “We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” he added. Zelensky will also meet with US defense companies to discuss additional air defense systems.
However, Trump cast doubt on whether Ukraine would receive the coveted Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of 1,600 kilometers. He told reporters, “We need them too, so I don’t know what we can do about that.” Trump noted that the Russian leader “didn’t like it” when he mentioned the possibility of supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine during their call.
The Kremlin announced preparations for the Budapest summit following what it described as an “extremely frank and trustful” conversation between Putin and Trump. However, Putin warned that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would not change the battlefield situation and could harm prospects for a peaceful resolution.
Shifting Dynamics in US-Russia-Ukraine Relations
Trump’s relationships with both Putin and Zelensky have fluctuated since he returned to the White House in January. After an initial rapprochement, Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin, especially after a meeting in Alaska yielded no resolution to the war.
Conversely, Zelensky has regained Trump’s support after the disastrous Oval Office encounter, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated him publicly. During his August visit, Zelensky wore a suit, a stark contrast to his previous appearance, and was accompanied by several Western leaders in a show of solidarity.
