Trump Suggests Peace With Russia Should Precede Ukraine's Tomahawk Missile Request During Zelensky Meeting

Diplomatic discussions regarding the conclusion of Russia's invasion have reached an impasse following the summit in Alaska.

During his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, US President Donald Trump indicated that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles would be premature, expressing his preference to secure peace with Russia first.

"Hopefully they won't need it. Hopefully we'll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks," Trump stated to reporters while seated opposite Zelensky in the White House Cabinet Room.

Trump greeted Zelensky, who was dressed in a dark suit and shirt, with a handshake outside the West Wing and briefly raised his fist, though neither leader responded to questions from journalists.

This meeting follows Trump's announcement of an upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his expression of uncertainty regarding the provision of powerful cruise missiles to Kyiv.

Ukraine has been requesting Tomahawk missiles from Washington for weeks, arguing that such weapons could apply pressure on Russia to end its devastating invasion that has continued for over three and a half years.

However, prior to Zelensky's visit, Putin cautioned Trump against delivering these weapons during a phone call, warning that such action could escalate the conflict and undermine peace negotiations.

Trump also expressed reservations about fulfilling Ukraine's request, citing concerns about depleting America's own Tomahawk inventory.

Trump and Putin have agreed to hold a new summit in Budapest, Hungary, which would mark their first meeting since their August talks in Alaska that failed to produce any peace agreement.

Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's invasion have made no progress since the Alaska summit.

Ukraine had hoped Zelensky's visit would intensify pressure on Putin, particularly by securing Tomahawk missiles, which have a range exceeding 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).

However, Trump, who previously claimed he could resolve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours, appears focused on pursuing another diplomatic breakthrough following his recent success in brokering a Gaza ceasefire deal.

The Kremlin stated on Friday that "many questions" needed resolution before Putin and Trump could meet, including the composition of each negotiating team.

Russian officials appeared unconcerned about potential difficulties regarding Putin's travel through European airspace.

Hungary confirmed Friday it would ensure Putin could enter the country and "hold successful talks" with the US, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes.

"Budapest is the only suitable place in Europe for a USA-Russia peace summit," Hungarian President Viktor Orban declared on social media platform X.

This marks Zelensky's third visit to Washington, Ukraine's primary military supporter, since Trump returned to office.

During this period, Trump's stance on the Ukraine conflict has fluctuated significantly.

At the beginning of his term, Trump and Putin reached out to each other while Trump criticized Zelensky as a "dictator without elections."

Tensions peaked in February when Trump, during a televised meeting in the Oval Office, accused his Ukrainian counterpart of "not having the cards."

Relations between the two leaders have subsequently improved as Trump has displayed growing frustration with Putin.

Nevertheless, Trump has maintained open communication with Putin, stating that they "get along." The US leader has frequently altered his position on sanctions and other measures against Russia following conversations with the Russian president.

Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, characterizing it as a "special military operation" to demilitarize the country and prevent NATO expansion.

Kyiv and its European allies maintain that the war constitutes an illegal territorial seizure that has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and widespread destruction.

Russia currently occupies approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, much of which has been devastated by combat. On Friday, the Russian defense ministry announced the capture of three villages in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.