US President Donald Trump appeared reluctant to send Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Instead, Trump focused on his desire to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, urging both sides to “stop the war immediately”.
According to The Guardian, Trump did not completely reject the idea of supplying Tomahawk missiles but said the United States might need them for “future conflicts”. He added that he was preparing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary soon, hinting that diplomacy was his main priority.
After more than two hours of talks with Zelenskyy, Trump told reporters that Ukraine and Russia should “stop at the battle line” and return to their families. “Stop the killing. And that should be it,” he said before leaving for his residence in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Zelenskyy, however, remained firm on his request for the long-range missiles. “We don’t have Tomahawks, that’s why we need Tomahawks,” the Ukrainian president told Trump, emphasizing Ukraine’s need for stronger defense against Russian attacks. Trump replied, “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks,” and added that the US should retain its weapons for national security.
Trump’s stance came shortly after a phone call with Putin, who reportedly warned that sending Tomahawks to Ukraine could harm US-Russian relations. Since returning to office, Trump’s position on arming Ukraine has fluctuated, often shifting after talks with Putin or European leaders.
During the White House meeting, Trump confirmed plans to meet Putin in Hungary, though it remains uncertain whether Zelenskyy will be involved. “There is a lot of bad blood,” Trump admitted.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
