Zelensky Seeks U.S. Tomahawk Missiles During White House Visit

TDT | Manama

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, aiming to secure U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles amid shifting American diplomacy and Trump’s upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This marks Zelensky’s third visit to Washington since Trump’s return to office, following a tense exchange earlier this year and a subsequent reconciliation meeting in August. The Ukrainian leader arrived hoping to strengthen support for Kyiv and increase pressure on Moscow, even as Trump signals a renewed focus on direct peace talks with the Kremlin.

Just before Zelensky’s arrival, Trump announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks in an effort to negotiate an end to the war that began with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. president described his recent phone call with Putin as “very productive,” adding that he intended to hold “separate but equal” discussions with both leaders.

Zelensky expressed cautious optimism, saying he hoped Trump’s recent success in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza could inspire progress toward ending the conflict in Ukraine. “We expect that the momentum of curbing terror and war that succeeded in the Middle East will help to end Russia's war against Ukraine,” he wrote on X.

The Ukrainian leader also emphasized that the potential deployment of Tomahawk missiles had already influenced Moscow’s behavior. “We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks,” he said.

While in Washington, Zelensky met with executives from U.S. defense manufacturers, including Raytheon — producer of the Tomahawk missile and Patriot air defense systems — to discuss joint production initiatives. He also held talks with Lockheed Martin, the maker of F-16 fighter jets, to explore further military cooperation.

Zelensky’s visit underscores the delicate balance between Kyiv’s push for stronger Western defense support and Washington’s renewed pursuit of diplomacy — as Trump seeks to position himself as a global peacemaker amid two ongoing wars.