IRIA News

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U.S. President Donald Trump was short of approving the transfer of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine during his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on October 17, 2025, in the White House.

The talks, part of Trump’s renewed diplomatic push to end Russia’s more than three-year war in Ukraine, came one day after his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders agreed to meet in Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss possible steps toward ending the conflict.

Zelenskyy confirmed that long-range missiles had been discussed but said both sides had chosen not to issue firm statements on the matter “because the United States does not want an escalation.”

However, Zelenskyy told reporters he remained “realistic” about the chances of receiving Tomahawks. Asked whether he believed Putin’s decision to meet Trump was linked to the missile discussions, he replied, “The prospect of Ukraine having Tomahawks has caused Russia to be afraid because it is a strong weapon.”

Zelenskyy said he had already spoken with several European leaders following the meeting, adding in a post on X that the “main priority now is to protect as many lives as possible, guarantee security for Ukraine, and strengthen all of us in Europe.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described his call with Zelenskyy as “productive,” pledging that Britain “will continue to send humanitarian aid and military support.”

President Donald J. Trump welcomes Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa to the White House. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/ZyC8eo9q2G

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 17, 2025

Trump Keeps Distance from Tomahawks

Speaking alongside Zelenskyy, Trump indicated that the United States was not yet ready to send Tomahawk missiles, signaling caution about deepening U.S. involvement in the war.

“Hopefully they won’t need it, hopefully we’ll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks,” Trump said, adding that “America needs those weapons.” He described supplying the missiles as “an escalation,” though he noted, “we’ll be talking about it.”

Trump’s remarks followed reports earlier this month that he had shown openness to providing the advanced munitions. The Tomahawk, capable of striking targets up to 1,500 kilometers away, would give Kyiv the ability to hit Russian energy and logistics facilities deep inside occupied territory and within Russia itself.

Military analysts say such weapons could shift battlefield dynamics by targeting Moscow’s supply chains and oil infrastructure, moves that Zelenskyy believes would “severely weaken Putin’s war economy.”

Zelenskyy Floats Drones-for-Missiles Idea

During their meeting, Zelenskyy proposed a potential trade that drew Trump’s attention: Ukrainian-made drones in exchange for U.S. Tomahawks. “The U.S. is a powerful producer and has Tomahawks and other strong missiles, but they can have our thousands of drones,” Zelenskyy said. “That’s where we can work together and strengthen American production.”

Trump appeared receptive to the idea, complimenting Ukraine’s drone technology. “We have a lot of drones right now. We build our own drones, but we also buy drones from others, and they make a very good drone,” he said.

Despite his measured tone, Trump reiterated that discussions would continue. “It’s not easy for us to give. You’re talking about massive numbers of very powerful weapons,” he said.

Zelenskyy meets US Defense and Energy Firms

As part of his working visit to Washington, Zelenskyy also met with executives from major U.S. defense and energy companies. In a separate meeting, the Ukrainian president held talks with representatives of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, thanking the United States, President Trump, and the companies’ leadership for their continued support.

During the meeting with Lockheed Martin representatives, Zelenskyy briefed on Ukraine’s urgent security needs, including modern air defense systems, compatible missiles, and F-16 fighter jets. Lockheed Martin representatives outlined the company’s production capacities and reaffirmed their readiness to explore new areas of cooperation to bolster Ukraine’s defenses.

I had a meeting with representatives of the defense company Lockheed Martin.

We discussed our prospects for cooperation and ways to strengthen Ukraine’s protection against Russian aggression.

I outlined Ukraine’s specific needs for air defense systems and their compatible… pic.twitter.com/NaGCPJjSot

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 17, 2025

“The Russian strikes are becoming increasingly brutal as winter approaches,” Zelenskyy said, stressing that Ukraine “knows the concrete steps required to enhance its defense” and is “working with partners at all levels.” Lockheed Martin, he added, “is open to partnership” and aware of Ukraine’s “clear defense priorities.”

Zelenskyy also met with representatives of the American defense company Raytheon, which produces Patriot systems. Zelenskyy posted on X, “I told them about the battlefield situation and Russia’s intensified attacks on our people and civilian infrastructure.”

He also discussed Raytheon’s production capacity, potential avenues for our cooperation to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and long-range capabilities, and the prospects for Ukrainian-American joint production. “I thank Raytheon for its readiness to continue supporting Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy also held a separate meeting with top executives and CEOs from major U.S. energy companies, including Bechtel, Fluence Energy, GE Vernova, Holtec International, Invenergy, Jacobs, Mercuria, Parsons, TechMet USA, Venture Global, and Westinghouse Electric Company.

He thanked them for their cooperation and noted that most were already active in Ukraine. Discussions focused on joint short- and long-term energy projects in oil, gas, and nuclear sectors, as well as financing options for future initiatives. The meetings, held as part of Zelenskyy’s working visit, underscored Kyiv’s efforts to deepen strategic partnerships with U.S. industry leaders in both defense and energy.

During my meeting with Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy Chris Wright, we discussed in detail energy capacities and potential projects for partnership in the energy sector.

I spoke about Russia’s strikes on Ukraine’s energy system and the need to restore the affected… pic.twitter.com/4Jj2uyLMtp

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 17, 2025

Trump Balances Peace Hopes with Caution

Trump has increasingly cast himself as a mediator, claiming credit for helping secure a Middle East ceasefire earlier this month. “I’m the mediator president, and I’m mediating a not easy situation,” he said at the start of his meeting with Zelenskyy. “It should be easy.”

However, while Trump has in the past expressed confidence that Ukraine could regain all occupied territory, his tone Friday was notably restrained. “I think they’re both doing a great job at negotiating,” he said of Zelenskyy and Putin. “We have to get it done.”

Asked whether Zelenskyy would be part of the planned Hungary summit with Putin, Trump said there were “bad feelings” between the two leaders. “We’ll be involved in threes, but it may be separated,” he said, adding that “We have to get together.”

Zelenskyy expressed skepticism that Putin was prepared for peace. “We understand that Putin is not ready,” he said. “But I’m confident that with your help, we can stop this war, and we really need it.”

He emphasized that any lasting peace must include strong security guarantees for Ukraine. “The most important thing for people in Ukraine, who are under daily attack, is to have really strong security guarantees,” he said.

Trump, meanwhile, told reporters his phone call with Putin had been “very productive,” describing the Russian leader as “wanting to make a deal.” The two sides, he said, would send working-level delegations to meet next week.

Tense Exchange and Lighter Moments

The White House meeting, held as a working lunch, was relatively cordial compared to their contentious February encounter, which had erupted into a shouting match involving Vice President J.D. Vance. Trump even took a moment to compliment Zelenskyy’s attire, saying, “He looks beautiful in this jacket, it’s very stylish.”

The mood shifted later when a reporter asked Trump about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “He doesn’t want to f*** around with the U.S.,” Trump snapped, abruptly ending the press availability. The comment, which the White House did not immediately clarify, came amid a series of U.S. strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela.

As Zelenskyy departed Washington, hopes for Tomahawk missiles remained uncertain, but the discussions marked a new phase in Trump’s efforts to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv, balancing U.S. restraint with Kyiv’s urgent plea for firepower.