President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have come away empty-handed from a White House meeting after US President Donald Trump indicated he was not ready to supply sought-after Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Zelensky said after the cordial bilateral talks that he and Trump had talked about long-range missiles, but decided not to make statements on the issue because the United States does not want an escalation.
Following the meeting, Trump took to social media to call for Kyiv and Moscow to stop where they are and end the war.
The Trump-Zelensky meeting came a day after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone and agreed to meet him in Hungary soon.
Zelensky believes using Tomahawks to strike at Russian oil and energy facilities would severely weaken Putin's war economy. While Trump did not rule it out, his tone at the White House on Friday was non-committal.
Hopefully they won't need it, hopefully we'll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks, the US president said, adding: I think we're fairly close to that.
He described the weapons as a big deal and stated that the US needed them for its own defense. He also expressed that supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine could lead to a further escalation in the conflict, but discussions about sending them would continue.
The Ukrainian leader suggested his country could offer drones in exchange for the Tomahawks, prompting smiles and nodding from Trump.
Zelensky also complimented Trump on his role in securing the first phase of a peace deal in the Middle East, suggesting the US leader could build on that momentum to help end Russia's war in Ukraine.
After the meeting, Zelensky was asked by a reporter outside the White House if he thought Putin wanted a deal or was just buying time with the planned meeting with Trump in Budapest. I don't know, he said, adding that the prospect of Ukraine having Tomahawks had caused Russia to be afraid because it is a strong weapon.
Zelensky expressed realism about the outcome of the talks. He responded to a question about feeling optimistic regarding receiving the Tomahawks, saying: I am realistic. He echoed Trump's sentiment about stopping the war at the current front line: We have to stop where we are, he is right.
Afterward, he communicated with European leaders, emphasizing the need to protect lives and guarantee security for Ukraine, stressing unity across Europe.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the conversation with European leaders as productive, reaffirming the UK's commitment to provide humanitarian aid and military support.
Despite Trump's previous openness to discussing the Tomahawks, Putin warned that such a move would exacerbate tensions between the US and Russia.
On Thursday, Trump noted significant progress during a call with Putin, as they agreed to meet face-to-face soon. However, concerns remain about whether Putin may be using the impending summit as a delay tactic.
As Zelensky's visit ended, back in Ukraine, the emotional toll of the war continues as citizens strive to rebuild their lives amidst ongoing turmoil.
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