Volodymyr Zelenskyy departed the White House on Friday without securing an agreement for the supply of Tomahawk long-range missiles to Ukraine. The meeting with US President Donald Trump followed weeks of signals that Washington might deepen military support, but Trump indicated he was reluctant to provide the weapons, citing the risk of escalation and the need to preserve US stockpiles.
“Tomahawks are very dangerous weapons,” Trump told reporters. “It could mean escalation. Tomahawks are a big deal. Hopefully, we will be able to end the war without thinking about Tomahawks. We are fairly close to that.” His comments came a day after a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which he suggested another summit between the leaders could take place in Budapest, Hungary.
Despite the lack of immediate agreement, Zelenskyy stressed that discussions over Tomahawk missiles would continue. The Ukrainian president suggested Kyiv could exchange its locally produced, battle-tested drones for US Tomahawks, highlighting the strategic importance of drone warfare to Ukraine’s defense efforts. “Ukraine has thousands of drones but it doesn’t have Tomahawks,” Zelenskyy said, underlining the technological dimension of the conflict.
The White House meeting marked Zelenskyy’s third visit this year. His first, in February, was marked by tension and disagreements, including a public dispute in the Oval Office with then-US Vice President JD Vance. On Friday, Zelenskyy praised Trump’s peacemaking role in the Middle East, citing the recent Gaza ceasefire as evidence of the US leader’s ability to facilitate conflict resolution, and expressed confidence in Trump’s potential to influence the trajectory of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Trump emphasized his position as a mediator, stating that the war could be settled through dialogue between the leaders of the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. He repeated that the objective was to stop the killing and urged both Kyiv and Moscow to pursue a ceasefire. Zelenskyy affirmed Ukraine’s readiness to engage in negotiations in any format, including bilateral or trilateral discussions, and stressed the importance of strong security guarantees and continued weapons support from NATO allies.
The meeting reflected a cautious US approach toward escalation, even as Ukraine continues to press for advanced weaponry. According to The Times UK, the outcome of the discussions left Kyiv “very nervous,” with uncertainty over what concrete commitments could be extracted. Zelenskyy, however, remained determined, stating that understanding battlefield realities and details of the conflict is critical for shaping effective responses and strategy.
Trump also addressed broader foreign policy issues, including ongoing trade tensions with China, which he sought to downplay, while confirming plans to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea later this month. For Ukraine, the focus remains on securing the military support and diplomatic engagement necessary to achieve both security guarantees and a resolution to the ongoing war with Russia.
