Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on October 17, 2025, to discuss military support for Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy is particularly pushing for the long-range Tomahawk missiles, which have a range of approximately 1,600 kilometers, allowing Ukraine to target deeper into Russian territory.

During their meeting, Trump acknowledged the challenges of providing such powerful weapons, stating, "We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We can’t deplete our country." This statement came after a recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Trump was warned that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks could escalate the war and damage US-Russian relations.

Zelenskyy has been advocating for these missiles, arguing that they would help pressure Russia to negotiate an end to the conflict. He believes that the capability to strike key military and infrastructure targets in Russia would compel Putin to take negotiations more seriously. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that discussions about the Tomahawks have already pushed Putin towards talks, emphasizing the need for strong actions to create momentum for peace.

The meeting marked the fourth interaction between Trump and Zelenskyy as they work towards resolving the war in Ukraine. Trump described Zelenskyy as a strong leader and acknowledged the existing tensions between him and Putin, stating, "There’s a lot of bad blood between these two leaders."

In addition to military discussions, Zelenskyy aims to strengthen energy partnerships with the US. He proposed storing American liquefied natural gas in Ukraine, which would enhance Ukraine's energy security and increase the presence of US businesses in the region. This aspect of the visit highlights Zelenskyy's broader strategy to rebuild Ukraine's energy infrastructure following Russian attacks.

As the situation develops, the potential for a new summit between Trump and Putin in Budapest is also on the table, following their previous meeting in Alaska that did not yield significant results. The outcome of Zelenskyy's visit remains to be seen, particularly regarding the request for Tomahawk missiles and the future of US support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.