Washington: As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares for a high-profile visit to the White House on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump appears cautious about agreeing to provide Kyiv with the long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles the Ukrainians have long requested. The meeting comes just a day after Trump held a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In the weeks leading up to the summit, Trump had shown some openness to supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks, which have a range of approximately 995 miles (1,600 kilometers) and would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military installations, energy infrastructure, and other critical assets. Ukrainian officials have argued that access to such weapons could strengthen Kyivâs negotiating position and pressure Moscow toward direct peace talks.
However, following Thursdayâs conversation with Putin, Trump tempered expectations. âWe need Tomahawks for the United States of America too,â he said, adding that while the U.S. possesses a substantial stockpile, it cannot afford to deplete national resources in supplying foreign forces.
During the call, Putin reportedly warned that sending Tomahawks to Ukraine âwonât change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,â according to Yuri Ushakov, the Russian presidentâs foreign policy adviser.
Despite the hesitation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha indicated that discussions of Tomahawks had already achieved a strategic purpose. âThe conclusion is that we need to continue with strong steps. Strength can truly create momentum for peace,â he wrote on X late Thursday, suggesting that the mere possibility of receiving advanced weapons has encouraged Moscow to engage in dialogue.
This Friday meeting will mark the fourth in-person encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy since the former Republican returned to office in January and the second in less than a month. Trump also announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to explore avenues for ending the conflict, while senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are scheduled to meet next week at an undisclosed location to continue diplomatic planning.
Fresh from facilitating a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, Trump described resolving the Ukraine conflict as his top foreign policy priority and expressed cautious optimism about achieving progress. Yet, the trajectory remains uncertain: despite earlier diplomatic efforts including a summit with Putin in Alaska and meetings with Zelenskyy and European allies Moscow has yet to show interest in direct negotiations with Kyiv and has intensified military operations in Ukraine.
Trump struck a more neutral tone following the call with Putin, hinting that future negotiations might need to occur indirectly. âThey donât get along too well those two,â he said of Zelenskyy and Putin, adding that any discussions could take the form of âSeparate but equalâ meetings.
The unfolding diplomacy underscores the delicate balance facing the United States: maintaining support for Ukraine while managing tensions with Russia, as Trump navigates both geopolitical strategy and domestic expectations ahead of his next foreign policy moves.