WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, seeking additional weapons to defend against Russia’s invasion, but instead encountered a leader more focused on pursuing a peace deal than expanding Ukraine’s military arsenal.
Trump did not rule out providing the long-range Tomahawk missiles that Ukraine has requested but appeared reluctant, citing an upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks.
After a two-hour discussion, Trump urged both Ukraine and Russia to “stop the war immediately,” even if doing so meant Ukraine conceding some territory.
“You stop at the battle line, and both sides should go home, go to their families,” Trump told reporters as he departed for West Palm Beach, Florida. “Stop the killing. And that should be it. Stop right now at the battle line. I told that to President Zelenskiy. I told it to President Putin.”
Trump’s renewed outreach to Putin — a move that has previously frustrated Zelenskiy and European allies — cast uncertainty over the meeting, which otherwise remained cordial. The two presidents met privately after a joint appearance before reporters.
Zelenskiy, for his part, stressed that peace remains difficult to achieve.
“We want this. Putin doesn’t want (it),” he said.
The Ukrainian leader noted that his forces were preparing an offensive using thousands of drones, but needed U.S. missiles to make an impact.
“We don’t have Tomahawks, that’s why we need Tomahawks,” Zelenskiy said.
Trump responded that he preferred not to provide them.
“We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks,” he said, later adding, “We want Tomahawks also. We don’t want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country.”
After the meeting, which Zelenskiy described as “productive,” he declined to discuss long-range missiles, saying the United States was wary of escalation. “I am realistic about my chance of getting them,” he told reporters.
Zelenskiy later said he was counting on Trump to pressure Putin “to stop this war.” When asked about Trump’s comments, he replied:
“President (Trump) is right, and we have to stop where we are. This is important, to stop where we are, and then to speak.”
The White House did not disclose details of Trump’s recent phone call with Putin, which reportedly helped pave the way for their next meeting. The Kremlin said preparations were ongoing and that the summit could happen “a little later” than the two-week window Trump mentioned.
Trump’s conciliatory tone raised doubts about future U.S. military aid to Ukraine and reignited concerns in Europe about a peace deal that could favor Moscow. The European Union said it welcomed talks if they could “help bring peace to Ukraine.”
Asked whether Putin might be “playing” him, Trump replied:
“You know, I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well, so it’s possible.”
Former U.S. official Michael Carpenter, now with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Zelenskiy likely found the talks disappointing.
“The underlying reality is that there is no inclination to impose costs on Russia,” he said.
Trump praised Zelenskiy personally, complimenting his attire after the Ukrainian leader faced earlier criticism for visiting the White House in military fatigues.
“He looks beautiful in his jacket,” Trump said. “I hope people notice.”
The U.S. president, who has been campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize, has repeatedly portrayed himself as a dealmaker capable of ending global conflicts.
More than three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Moscow has continued to claim new territory. Putin recently said his forces captured nearly 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land this year, adding to the roughly 20% of the country already under Russian control.
Both sides have intensified attacks on energy infrastructure, while Russian drones and aircraft have reportedly strayed into NATO territory.
Before Friday’s meeting, White House officials had signaled growing frustration with Moscow and hinted at possible approval of the Tomahawk missiles. Zelenskiy said Russia was “afraid of Tomahawks,” while Moscow warned that such deliveries would mark a “serious escalation.”
Analysts said Putin’s outreach to Trump may have been aimed at preventing the U.S. from transferring those weapons.
Max Bergmann, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, “Putin’s move appeared meant to make the U.S. transfer of such weapons less likely.”
Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at Come Back Alive, a Ukrainian organization that helps supply the military, said the missiles could shift the balance of power.
“We don’t expect Russia to crumble after one, two or three successful strikes,” Bielieskov said. “But it’s about pressure, constant pressure. It’s about disrupting the military-industrial complex.”
