President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House
Washington DC: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington on Friday for talks with US President Donald Trump, aiming to secure long-range Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia. The meeting followed a recent Trump-Putin phone call and precedes a planned US-Russia summit in Budapest.
Trump expressed hesitance over supplying Tomahawks, citing the need to maintain US reserves. Zelensky argued that the missiles could strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position and compel Russia to take peace talks seriously. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that supplying the weapons could escalate the conflict and damage US-Russia relations.
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Zelensky’s visit is his third since Trump returned to office, reflecting ongoing fluctuations in US policy toward the Ukraine war. Diplomats noted that the Budapest summit will require careful planning, including team composition and security arrangements, given European airspace and ICC considerations.
Zelensky arrived at the White House with key aides to discuss Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of about 1,600 kilometres. The Ukrainian leader emphasised that access to these long-range weapons would enable strikes against critical Russian military and infrastructure targets.
Trump, however, highlighted that the US must retain its own stockpiles. The US president noted that providing Tomahawks could “deplete” American reserves and potentially complicate broader diplomatic efforts with Russia.
The meeting comes as Trump and Putin prepare to meet in Budapest, marking their first summit since August in Alaska, which failed to produce tangible results. Ukrainian officials also indicated that energy deals involving American liquefied natural gas might be part of Zelensky’s discussions, aiming to expand US involvement in Ukraine’s energy sector.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Kyiv has lost roughly a fifth of its territory, with ongoing conflict causing tens of thousands of casualties and widespread destruction. Trump’s shifting stance on the war reflects both attempts at peace brokering and concerns over US military capabilities.
(With AP inputs)
Published: 17 Oct 2025, 11:32 pm IST
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