Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting: Ukraine Push to ‘Go Offensive’ Tops Oval Office Agenda; Russia Threatens Consequences

United States President Donald Trump is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday at the White House, with major discussions expected on military aid, including long-range missiles, and the ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

This meeting follows Trump’s recent phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his announcement of a planned in-person meeting with the Russian leader in Budapest.

Talks Focused on Ending War in Ukraine

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump revealed he and Putin will meet in Budapest, Hungary, aiming to “bring this ‘inglorious’ war, between Russia and Ukraine, to an end.”

Trump described the call with Putin as “very productive” and said progress made in the Middle East may help move peace talks forward in Europe. He also said that the two leaders discussed economic cooperation, particularly trade.

Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting to Address Weapons and Strategy

At the Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump is expected to share details from his conversation with Putin and to assess Ukraine’s military needs. Zelenskyy is pushing for US support in acquiring long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles and additional air defense systems like the Patriot.

“We’ll be talking about the war with him,” Trump said of Zelenskyy. “They want to go offensive. I’ll make a determination on that.”

The Ukrainian side has also confirmed that their delegation has already met with Raytheon, the manufacturer of Tomahawk and Patriot systems, ahead of Friday’s talks.

“Tools like Patriots and Tomahawks can help lay a long-term foundation for peace,” Zelenskyy said in a statement.

Ukraine has expressed interest in launching a new counteroffensive against Russian forces. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, said, “We indeed can go on the offensive it all depends on the weapons we get and the approved plan.”

While Ukraine has remained mostly on the defensive in 2025, recent minor advances have been made in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Still, Russia continues its own slow advances elsewhere, and both countries have increased attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure.

Although Trump previously mentioned that the US has “a lot” of Tomahawk missiles. “We need them. I mean, we can't deplete for our country” he said.

Military experts have pointed out that while Tomahawks offer Ukraine the ability to strike deep inside Russian territory, their delivery and integration could take time. Simpler alternatives like ERAM or ATACMS missiles may be more immediately useful.

Providing Tomahawks would be “as much a political decision as it is a military decision,” said defense analyst Mark Montgomery.

Putin Warns Against US Arms Transfers

Russian officials have reacted to the possibility of the US sending Tomahawks to Ukraine. “The delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone. And most of all, for Trump himself,” warned former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov described the recent Trump-Putin call as “very frank and trusting,” but also warned that sending advanced weapons to Ukraine would harm US-Russia relations.

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