Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy came to the White House yesterday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country’s war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Kyiv’s arsenal.
While US President Donald Trump did not rule out providing the long-range Tomahawk missiles Zelenskiy seeks, Trump appeared cool to the prospect as he looked ahead to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a matter of weeks.
Trump’s move to re-engage with Putin, a strategy that has frustrated Kyiv and some European allies in the past, cast a shadow on the US president’s otherwise cordial exchange with his Ukrainian counterpart as they spoke with reporters ahead of a private lunch.
“I think President Zelenskiy wants it done, and I think President Putin wants it done. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit,” Trump said.
Zelenskiy, however, noted how difficult it has been to try to secure a ceasefire. “We want this. Putin doesn’t want (it),” he said.
The Ukrainian leader was frank, telling Trump that Ukraine has thousands of drones ready for an offensive against Russian targets, but needs American missiles. “We don’t have Tomahawks, that’s why we need Tomahawks,” he said.
Trump responded: “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks.”
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