Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday he was “realistic” on chances of receiving US Tomahawk missiles after President Donald Trump told him he did not want escalation.
Zelensky visited the White House a day after Trump spoke by telephone with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and agreed to meet the Russian leader a second time this year, this time in Budapest.
Speaking with reporters after his meeting, Zelensky said he and Trump had discussed Tomahawks, which have a range of 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles), but that there would be no announcement.
A Ukrainian source said Zelensky had presented maps of potential targets inside Russia to Trump.
“I think that Russia is afraid about Tomahawks, really afraid, because it’s (a) strong weapon, and they know what we have, what kind of weapon we have, our production, and they understand that combination,” Zelensky said, apparently referring to Ukrainian drones.
Asked if he left the meeting more or less optimistic about the chances of the United States giving Tomahawks, Zelensky said, “I’m realistic.”
“We decided that we don’t speak about it because nobody wants — I mean, the United States doesn’t want — escalation,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president said that after his talks with Trump, he immediately joined a call with European allies including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as well as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
European leaders came to the White House jointly with Zelensky on his last visit in August, which was on the heels of Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska.
In February, shortly after Trump returned to the White House, Trump and Vice President JD Vance had publicly berated Zelensky for alleged ingratitude over US weapons.
Asked if he needed European backing after Trump’s new plans to see Putin, Zelensky said, “I didn’t call them to have the support. I know we have this support.”
Zelensky also said he was open to a three-way meeting with Trump and Putin at a future date, without commenting on any prospect of joining them in Budapest.
