Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to the White House on Friday underscored a shifting tone in U.S. policy toward Ukraine. While Kyiv had hoped to secure advanced weaponry, including long-range Tomahawk missiles, President Donald Trump appeared more focused on halting the war than expanding Ukraine’s arsenal.
After a two-hour meeting, Trump called on both Russia and Ukraine to “stop the war immediately,” suggesting that both sides should “stop at the battle line” and return home. His comments came as he prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks, signaling renewed U.S. engagement with Moscow.
“I told that to President Zelenskiy. I told it to President Putin,” Trump said, adding that both leaders should “get along a little bit.”
Zelenskiy, however, expressed skepticism, noting that Ukraine desires peace while Russia continues its aggression. “We want this. Putin doesn’t want it,” he stated. The Ukrainian president emphasized his country’s need for American missiles, explaining, “We don’t have Tomahawks, that’s why we need Tomahawks.”
Trump, meanwhile, downplayed the request, saying, “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks,” and later added that the U.S. must retain its own defensive capabilities.
Following the meeting, Zelenskiy described the talks as productive but admitted that Washington was reluctant to escalate the conflict. He said he remained “realistic” about his chances of obtaining the weapons but was counting on Trump to push Putin toward ending the war.
Trump’s upcoming summit with Putin has reignited European concerns about a potential peace deal favoring Russia. While the European Union cautiously welcomed talks aimed at ending the war, analysts warned that Trump’s approach reflects little appetite for imposing new costs on Moscow.
As the war grinds on, Ukraine faces the challenge of maintaining Western support amid Washington’s shifting priorities.
