Trump resists Zelenskyy’s plea for Tomahawk missiles

Open the White House Watch newsletter for free

Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business, and the world

Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House on Friday without US approval to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, after Donald Trump said the “dangerous” weapons could worsen the war.

In recent weeks, the American president had expressed his willingness to send long-range missiles to Kiev, but he changed his position on Friday, saying that he did not want to escalate the conflict or deplete American stockpiles.

“Tomahawk missiles are very dangerous weapons,” Trump told reporters at the White House before his meeting with Zelensky. “That could mean escalation. Tomahawk missiles are a big problem.”

“We hope that we can end the war without thinking about Tomahawk missiles,” he said. “We’re fairly close to that.”

Trump’s apparent retreat came a day after he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, when the two leaders agreed to hold a summit in Budapest.

The US President’s latest meeting with Zelensky came after months of shuttle diplomacy by European leaders to ensure Trump’s support for Kiev amid fears that he would reduce US aid to Ukrainian forces.

The initiatives have succeeded in recent months. Behind the scenes, US intelligence helped direct Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, while Trump publicly expressed frustration with Putin.

Zelensky said the conversation with Trump about supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would continue despite no agreement being reached on Friday.

He said, “No one has canceled this dialogue and this issue. So we have to work on it more.” But when asked if he was optimistic that the United States would supply him with missiles, Zelensky said: “I’m a realist.”

In addition to the Tomahawk missiles, Zelensky said after the meeting that he discussed with Trump Ukraine’s need for more air defense systems, Trump’s call with Putin, and Kiev’s request that Washington support any peace agreement with security guarantees.

But the meeting ended without any new public promises of support from the US President.

Trump said the meeting with Zelensky was “cordial,” but he urged Kiev and Moscow to end the war.

“I told him, and also strongly suggested to President Putin, that it was time to stop the killing, and make a deal!” Books on social truth.

Immediately after the meeting, Zelensky held a previously scheduled call with European leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Kyiv’s requests for more military aid come after more than three and a half years of fighting to end the Russian invasion. Moscow has bombed the country in recent months despite Trump’s claim – which he repeated on Friday – that Putin wants to end the war.

Zelensky believes Tomahawk missiles could help Ukrainian forces strike distant Russian military and energy targets with greater precision, forcing Putin to the negotiating table.

Zelensky said in Washington that Russia is “afraid” of the missiles, because Kiev could use them “in conjunction” with its long-range attack drones, which have destroyed some Russian energy facilities in recent months.

However, military experts said the weapons are unlikely to be a game-changer on the battlefield.

This was Zelensky’s third meeting at the White House this year. His first speech in the Oval Office was last February, and it turned into an ugly argument in front of the cameras, as US Vice President JD Vance rebuked the Ukrainian leader and Trump told him that he “did not have the cards” to win the war.

The mood on Friday was more friendly and Zelensky expressed confidence in Trump’s ability to end the war.

“We realize that Putin is not ready,” Zelensky said. But he added that he was “confident” that Trump could help shift “the momentum to end Russia’s war against Ukraine” after helping secure the latest ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Trump’s frustration with Putin has grown in recent months, but he has refrained from imposing any direct consequences on Moscow in an attempt to lure the Russian leader to the negotiating table.