Trump declines Zelenskyy's request for Tomahawks for now, meeting described as 'tough,' Axios reports
Photo: Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump informed Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he does not currently intend to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk long-range missiles, according to Axios.
According to Axios, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hoped to leave Washington with US commitments for new weapons, but instead encountered a markedly different tone from President Donald Trump, who had spoken with Vladimir Putin shortly before their meeting.
Sources described the talks as "tough," with Trump signaling that his priority was diplomacy and warning that sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine could undermine it. Zelenskyy reportedly pressed hard for the long-range weapons, but Trump resisted and "showed little flexibility."
During the meeting, Trump briefed Zelenskyy on his conversation with Putin, reiterating that the US proposal for resolving the conflict centers on freezing current frontlines, a plan Axios notes would be difficult for Kyiv to accept.
One source said the meeting "was not easy," while another called it "bad."
"Nobody shouted, but Trump was tough," one attendee told the outlet, adding that several of the US president’s remarks were blunt and the atmosphere at times emotional. The meeting ended abruptly after about two and a half hours, with Trump reportedly saying, "I think we're done. Let's see what happens next week," referring to planned US-Russia talks.
Trump is expected to meet Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks.
Zelenskyy's statements
After the White House meeting, Zelenskyy held a joint call with several European leaders and later spoke to reporters. He confirmed that Tomahawks had been discussed with Trump but said both sides agreed not to comment publicly to avoid escalation. When asked whether he was optimistic, he replied, "I’m realistic."
Zelenskyy also stressed that the Tomahawk issue remains on the table, saying that Ukraine needs these missiles as much as the US, and added that Russia fears not only the missiles themselves but how Ukraine could combine them with other weapons systems.
Following the meeting, Trump posted on social media, urging both sides to "stop where they stand." Zelenskyy expressed support for that idea, emphasizing his readiness for any format that could bring peace while acknowledging that territorial issues will be the hardest part of negotiations.
