Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is slated for a White House meeting with President Trump on Friday. Their agenda includes crucial arms discussions and peace prospects for Ukraine, following Trump’s recent announcement of a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming weeks, aimed at concluding the ongoing conflict.
Zelensky’s visit to Washington underscores his persistent efforts to secure increased American backing. This comes as Trump has hinted at potentially supplying Ukraine with powerful Tomahawk missiles, which could reach far into Russian territory.
However, a lengthy two-hour phone conversation with Putin on Thursday left the question of Tomahawk missile provision unresolved. Trump’s rhetoric suggested a renewed reliance on diplomatic discussions with Putin to de-escalate the conflict.
This pattern is familiar to Zelensky, as Trump has a history of deferring sanctions against Russia and postponing military aid to Kyiv, often favoring negotiations with Putin that have yet to produce significant breakthroughs.
Currently, Trump appears invigorated in his peace-making endeavors, buoyed by a successful cease-fire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas. He has positioned the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war as his next major diplomatic objective, having framed potential Tomahawk sales as a powerful inducement for Putin to engage in talks.
This marks the third Oval Office meeting and sixth overall this year between Trump and Zelensky, underscoring Zelensky’s relentless pursuit of Trump’s support, even following a contentious February encounter where Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized him for insufficient gratitude towards the U.S.
Earlier this week, the Ukrainian president expressed optimism, stating, “There is now a very strong momentum for peace in the world — following the agreements reached in the Middle East.”
Zelensky continues to advocate for Ukraine’s preferred strategy: a reduction in diplomatic talks, coupled with an increase in weapon shipments to enable impactful strikes against Russia, thereby compelling genuine negotiations.
Recently, Zelensky has actively urged the Trump administration to supply American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles. These would significantly enhance Ukraine’s capacity for long-range strikes within Russia, with the hope that targeting key economic infrastructure, such as oil facilities, would escalate the war’s cost for Russia and expedite a peace settlement.
On Wednesday, Zelensky characterized these potential strikes as “our long-range Ukrainian sanctions capabilities,” drawing a parallel to economic sanctions targeting Russia’s lucrative oil sector, a vital source of wartime funding for the Kremlin. Additionally, he is seeking enhanced air defense systems to protect Ukraine’s airspace from Russian assaults, which have recently inflicted substantial damage on the national power grid.
Following his Thursday call with Putin, Trump appeared to highlight the inherent dangers of equipping Ukraine with Tomahawks. He described them as “a vicious, offensive, incredibly destructive weapon,” confirming his discussion of the matter with Putin and adding, “Nobody wants Tomahawks shot at them.”
Moscow has strongly cautioned Washington against such a sale, labeling it a significant escalation of the conflict. Analysts suggest that even with Trump’s approval, Ukraine would require a substantial quantity of these missiles, with a range over 1,000 miles, to have a decisive impact. The considerable cost of approximately $2.5 million per missile for newer versions presents a significant funding hurdle.
To overcome financial obstacles, Ukraine is looking to a novel NATO procurement system, leveraging European funds to acquire American armaments. This initiative has already secured $2 billion in weapons, with ten additional European NATO members committing to the program this week.
Prior to Zelensky’s arrival, a high-ranking Ukrainian delegation visited Washington to prepare the ground. They held meetings with top executives from Raytheon, the U.S. manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and various U.S. legislators. Zelensky himself arrived on Thursday and also engaged in discussions with Raytheon representatives.