Trump-Zelensky meeting: Washington prioritizes reconciliation, fate of Tomahawk missiles remains open

During the summit, which was watched by the whole world, President Zelensky sought a commitment from the United States to provide Tomahawk cruise missiles, a weapon that could significantly change the situation on the battlefield. However, the results of the meeting showed a clear gap between Kiev's wishes and Washington's priorities, according to news agencies.

President Trump did not outright rule out the possibility of providing Tomahawk missiles, but appeared to be cautious as he looks ahead to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in just a few weeks.

"I think President Zelensky wants to end the war, and I think President Putin wants to end the war. Now all they have to do is get along a little bit," Mr. Trump told reporters, clearly showing the mediator role he wants.

At a press conference held shortly afterwards in Lafayette Park, outside the White House, President Zelensky offered a realistic message. When asked if he was “optimistic” about receiving Tomahawks, Mr. Zelensky replied that he was “realistic.”

He stressed that the most important thing for Ukraine right now is a strong security guarantee from the US if a ceasefire agreement is signed.

“We need strong security guarantees,” Mr Zelensky said, adding that a ceasefire must be the first step before other sensitive issues such as territory can be discussed.

Despite being the main topic, the transfer of Tomahawk missiles appears to have made little progress. Mr. Zelensky said the two sides had agreed not to speak publicly about the issue because "the United States does not want to escalate tensions."

However, he also asserted that Russia is genuinely concerned about this weapon. "I think Russia is afraid of the Tomahawk. Really afraid because it is a powerful weapon... They understand what we can do," he said.

For his part, President Trump also admitted that Tomahawks are "very dangerous weapons" and that providing them could lead to "a major escalation." He also stressed that the US does not want to give away powerful weapons that it needs to protect itself.

After meeting with Mr. Trump, Mr. Zelensky held phone calls with European leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO chief Mark Rutte, showing Kiev's diplomatic coordination efforts with strategic allies.

The White House meeting ended in a cordial atmosphere, but left a big question mark over whether Ukraine will receive the weapons it needs, as President Trump is actively preparing for an upcoming meeting with President Putin in Hungary.