President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Friday, where the two leaders discussed Ukraine’s request for U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and other advanced weaponry.
Zelenskyy, dressed in a dark suit, arrived at the West Wing entrance and shook hands with Trump before heading into a working lunch in the Cabinet Room.
“We want to see if we can get this done,” Trump told reporters ahead of the meeting.
Zelenskyy expressed optimism about progress toward ending the conflict, now entering its fourth year.
“We want peace. Putin doesn’t want. That’s why we need pressure on him,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “President Trump has a big chance now to finish this war.”
He cited Trump’s role in brokering the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying he hoped a similar breakthrough could occur in Ukraine.
Trump Shifts Tone After Putin Call
Earlier in the week, Trump had signaled strong support for providing long-range missiles to Kyiv, criticizing Moscow’s continued onslaught. However, after a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Trump adopted a more cautious tone, citing concerns about U.S. weapons stockpiles.
“That’s a problem. We need Tomahawks and a lot of other things we’ve been sending over the past four years to Ukraine,” Trump said during the joint press appearance.
Trump acknowledged that supplying the missiles would represent an “escalation,” but said the matter would be further discussed with Zelenskyy during their lunch.
Next Steps and Planned Meeting in Hungary
The president also confirmed he would brief Zelenskyy on the details of his conversation with Putin, describing it as “productive.”
Following their discussion, Trump said he and Putin plan to meet again soon in Hungary to continue diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war.
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