Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House this Friday. Their agenda includes discussions on arms deals and the prospects for peace in Ukraine, following Trump’s announcement of upcoming talks with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin to end the conflict.
Zelensky arrives in Washington seeking greater American support, particularly as Trump has hinted at providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles—weapons capable of striking deep within Russian territory.
However, after a two-hour conversation with Putin on Thursday, Trump’s stance on supplying Tomahawks remained ambiguous, signaling a renewed focus on diplomatic negotiations with Russia to resolve the ongoing war.
This situation is familiar to Zelensky, who has often seen Trump postpone sanctions on Russia and delay aid to Kyiv, consistently offering Putin opportunities for talks that have yielded little tangible progress.
This time, Trump’s diplomatic drive is fueled by the recent success of a cease-fire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas. He has explicitly stated that resolving the war in Ukraine is his next major objective. Over the past week, he presented the potential sale of Tomahawk missiles as an incentive for Putin to engage in serious negotiations.
This upcoming meeting marks the third time Trump and Zelensky will convene in the Oval Office, and their sixth encounter this year. These frequent interactions underscore Zelensky’s persistent efforts to secure Trump’s steadfast backing, despite a difficult meeting in February where Trump and Vice President JD Vance reportedly criticized him for insufficient 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,” the Ukrainian president stated earlier this week.
Zelensky has consistently advocated for Ukraine’s preferred strategy: fewer diplomatic discussions and more deliveries of weapons to enable strikes against Russia, thereby compelling Moscow to negotiate sincerely.
In recent days, Zelensky has actively lobbied the Trump administration for American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would significantly enhance Ukraine’s capacity for long-range attacks inside Russia. Ukraine believes such strikes, particularly targeting vital economic assets like oil facilities, would increase Russia’s war costs and ultimately push it towards a peaceful resolution.
On Wednesday, Zelensky characterized these potential strikes as “our long-range Ukrainian sanctions capabilities,” drawing parallels to the economic sanctions imposed on Russia’s lucrative oil industry—a crucial funding source for the Kremlin’s military operations. He also seeks to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses to protect its skies from relentless Russian attacks that have recently inflicted severe damage on the national power grid.
However, following his call with Putin on Thursday, Trump appeared to underscore the inherent risks of providing Tomahawks to Ukraine. “It’s a vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive weapon,” Trump remarked, confirming he had discussed the matter with Putin. “Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them.”
The Kremlin has issued stern warnings against such weapon sales to Washington, labeling it a serious escalation of the conflict. Even if Trump agrees to more arms deals, experts caution that Ukraine would require a substantial quantity of Tomahawks, which boast a range exceeding 1,000 miles, to truly make a strategic impact. With the latest missile versions costing approximately $2.5 million each, funding their acquisition presents a significant challenge.
Ukraine is hopeful of utilizing a new NATO-procurement framework, backed by European funds, to acquire American weaponry. Already, $2 billion worth of weapons have been secured through this system, and 10 more European NATO members committed to joining the initiative this week.
A high-level Ukrainian delegation was in Washington earlier this week to prepare for Zelensky’s visit. They met with executives from Raytheon, the American manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles, as well as with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. lawmakers. Zelensky himself arrived in Washington on Thursday and also held meetings with Raytheon representatives.