Ukraine Fails to Secure Tomahawk Missiles, Trump–Zelensky Meeting Ends in Tension
Sources described the two-and-a-half-hour discussion as “not easy” and even “bad,” with moments of emotional tension.
United States, PUREWILAYAH.COM – The recent White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky was marked by friction and disappointment, according to Axios.
Despite weeks of lobbying, Zelensky failed to obtain a commitment for long-range Tomahawk missiles — a major blow to Kiev’s hopes of escalating pressure on Russia.
Sources described the two-and-a-half-hour discussion as “not easy” and even “bad,” with moments of emotional tension. Trump reportedly made it clear that Washington has no immediate intention of supplying Tomahawks, citing the need to preserve U.S. military stockpiles.
“I think we’re done. Let’s see what happens next week,” Trump said abruptly, cutting the meeting short — a remark believed to reference upcoming U.S.–Russia diplomatic engagements, including a potential summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.
U.S. Fears Direct Escalation with Russia
Trump openly acknowledged that providing Ukraine with missiles capable of striking up to 2,500 km deep into Russian territory would carry serious risks.
While Zelensky has insisted the weapons would target only military sites, Russian officials have warned that Kiev has already threatened blackouts in Russian border regions and even in Moscow itself.
Speaking to the press afterward, Zelensky dodged questions about the missiles, merely stating that the U.S. “does not want escalation.”
Washington’s Strategic Ambiguity
Russian officials dismissed the military value of Tomahawks for Ukraine, warning that such a decision would severely undermine any prospects for a peaceful settlement and further damage U.S.–Russia relations.
Moscow has suggested that Kiev seeks these missiles not for defense, but for political coercion and potential acts of terror.
The tense Washington encounter followed a phone call between Trump and Putin, during which both sides hinted at a forthcoming summit in Hungary.
The timing underscores a mounting reality: the United States is recalibrating its strategy, distancing itself from Ukraine even as the conflict drags on.
European leaders have also begun to question the strategic value of supplying Tomahawks, signaling growing fatigue with Kiev’s demands. (PW)