US President Donald Trump on Friday urged Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to strike a peace deal with Russia, signaling a shift away from Kyiv’s hopes of securing Tomahawk missiles as Washington renews diplomatic efforts to end the war.
The development came a day after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and agreed to a second summit in Budapest, following their recent meeting in Alaska.
“It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, (he) didn’t say ‘yes’” to providing Kyiv with Tomahawks, Zelensky told NBC after his White House meeting.
Trump later described their discussions as “very interesting, and cordial,” adding that he told both Zelensky and Putin “it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!”
“They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!” Trump posted on social media while en route to Florida, before telling reporters on arrival that both sides should “stop right now at the battle line.”
Zelensky said he remained “realistic” about the prospect of receiving long-range Tomahawks, noting that both leaders agreed not to speak publicly about the issue to avoid escalation.
The Ukrainian president had hoped to use the visit to capitalize on Trump’s frustration with Moscow after their Alaska summit failed to yield results. But he left Washington empty-handed, as Trump appeared focused on replicating his recent diplomatic success in Gaza with a potential peace deal in Eastern Europe.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to get the war over with, without thinking about Tomahawks,” Trump said, adding that he believed Putin “wants to end the war.”
Zelensky, meanwhile, offered to trade “thousands” of Ukrainian drones in exchange for the coveted missiles and congratulated Trump on the Middle East peace accord, expressing hope he could “manage it” for Ukraine as well.
Diplomatic progress remains uncertain. The Kremlin acknowledged that “many questions” needed to be resolved before the Budapest summit, including the composition of negotiating teams. Hungary has pledged to ensure Putin can attend despite the International Criminal Court warrant against him.
Since returning to office, Trump’s stance on Ukraine has fluctuated—from calling Zelensky a “dictator without elections” to seeking renewed cooperation as tensions with Putin evolve.
Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, now controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. On Friday, Moscow claimed new territorial gains in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.
What You Should Know
President Donald Trump’s renewed call for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine marks a major diplomatic pivot, reflecting his preference for negotiation over military escalation.
For Zelensky, it underscores a challenging reality, Washington’s support may now hinge more on diplomacy than on weapons.
