Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled for a pivotal meeting with President Trump at the White House this Friday. Their agenda includes crucial arms discussions and peace prospects for Ukraine. This comes swiftly after Mr. Trump’s announcement of an upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict.
President Zelensky’s visit to Washington is a concerted effort to secure increased American backing. Notably, Mr. Trump has hinted at providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, advanced weaponry capable of deep strikes into Russian territory, as part of this support.
However, following a two-hour conversation with Mr. Putin on Thursday, President Trump’s stance on delivering the Tomahawks remained ambiguous. This suggests a renewed focus on diplomatic discussions with the Russian leader as his preferred path to conflict resolution.
This diplomatic approach is familiar territory for President Zelensky, who has previously witnessed Mr. Trump deferring sanctions on Russia and postponing aid to Kyiv, often in favor of negotiations with Mr. Putin that have not yielded significant breakthroughs.
Buoyed by recent success in brokering a cease-fire and hostage release between Israel and Hamas, President Trump is now passionately focused on resolving Russia’s war in Ukraine. In the preceding week, he framed the potential sale of Tomahawk missiles as a strategic incentive to bring Mr. Putin to the negotiating table.
This upcoming meeting marks their third in the Oval Office and sixth overall this year, underscoring President Zelensky’s unwavering determination to secure President Trump’s support. This persistence comes despite a challenging encounter in February where both Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Ukraine for a perceived lack of gratitude towards the United States.
“There is now a very strong momentum for peace in the world — following the agreements reached in the Middle East,” President Zelensky remarked earlier this week, emphasizing the global shift towards conflict resolution.
President Zelensky, however, is advocating for a different approach to ending the war. He prefers fewer protracted talks and more direct weapons deliveries, specifically to enhance Ukraine’s ability to strike Russia and compel serious negotiations.
In recent discussions, President Zelensky has strongly urged the Trump administration to provide American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles. These would significantly boost Ukraine’s capacity for long-range attacks within Russia. Ukraine’s strategy is that targeting vital economic assets, such as oil facilities, would escalate the war’s cost for Russia, ultimately leading to a settlement.
On Wednesday, President Zelensky metaphorically referred to these potential strikes as “our long-range Ukrainian sanctions capabilities,” drawing parallels to the existing economic sanctions on Russia’s lucrative oil industry, a primary financier of the Kremlin’s war. Additionally, he stressed the urgent need for enhanced air defense systems to protect Ukrainian airspace from persistent Russian assaults that have recently inflicted severe damage on the nation’s power grid.
Yet, following his conversation with Mr. Putin, President Trump appeared to pivot, highlighting the inherent risks of supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine. “It’s a vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive weapon,” Mr. Trump stated, confirming his discussion of the matter with Mr. Putin. He concluded, “Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them.”
The Kremlin has issued stern warnings to Washington regarding these weapon sales, branding them a significant escalation of the conflict. Military experts caution that even if President Trump greenlights further arms deals, Ukraine would require a substantial quantity of Tomahawks, which boast a range exceeding 1,000 miles, to genuinely impact the war. The formidable price tag—approximately $2.5 million per missile for the latest versions—presents a considerable financial hurdle.
Ukraine is pinning its hopes on a newly established NATO-procurement mechanism, leveraging European funds to acquire American weaponry. This initiative has already secured $2 billion in arms, with an additional ten European NATO members joining the program this week.
Prior to President Zelensky’s arrival, a high-level Ukrainian delegation visited Washington to prepare the ground. The delegates engaged with executives from Raytheon, the American manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles, as well as with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and various U.S. lawmakers. President Zelensky himself arrived on Thursday and participated in further discussions with Raytheon representatives.