President Donald Trump is hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, and signaled reluctance to sell Kyiv the long-range Tomahawk cruise missile system that Ukraine says is desperately needed.
The meeting and working lunch followed a lengthy phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday regarding the ongoing conflict.
At the start of the talks, President Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on the recent Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, stating the U.S. leader now has “momentum” to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war and suggesting Trump has a “big chance to finish this war.”
Zelenskyy proposed a reciprocal deal: Ukraine would offer its advanced drones in exchange for Washington selling Tomahawks, which have a range of about 995 miles.
READ: Zelenskyy Headed To White House Friday Amid Long-Range Tomahawk Missiles Talks For Ukraine
However, President Trump expressed concern about depleting the U.S. Tomahawk supply, stating, “I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country.”
Trump had previously shown openness to the sale, which Russia had warned would strain relations. Following the call with Putin, who reportedly warned the missiles would “cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,” Trump appeared to downplay the prospect.
Zelenskyy, who has argued the Tomahawks would pressure Putin into serious negotiations, is also expected to appeal to Trump’s economic interests by offering to store American liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Ukraine’s facilities.
The meeting is the fourth face-to-face between the two leaders since Trump returned to office. Trump, who has made ending the war his top foreign policy priority, announced following the Putin call that he would soon meet the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary.
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