Days after publicly floating the concept, President Donald Trump on Friday retracted his stance on providing powerful aid to Ukraine, informing reporters and President Volodymyr Zelensky of his reservations about depleting the U.S. supply.
Trump delivered these comments during a White House meeting where Zelensky had hoped for a resounding announcement from Trump regarding increased military assistance, following Trump’s recent success in brokering a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
As journalists posed questions to the two leaders, the public witnessed Zelensky openly engaging in negotiations with Trump, offering to assist the U.S. in manufacturing more armed drones in exchange for potent missiles capable of penetrating deep into Russian territory.
“We would much rather not require Tomahawks. We would much rather see the war conclude,” Trump stated, positioned across the table from Zelensky. He added, “It carries the risk of significant escalation. Many unfavorable events could occur.”
Trump initially suggested the sale of these missiles to Ukraine on Monday, while en route to Israel. However, following a Thursday night phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump appeared more hesitant to furnish Ukraine with more powerful weaponry to counteract Russia’s ongoing invasion. Trump intends to meet Putin in Hungary within the coming weeks.
Trump is growing increasingly frustrated by Putin’s unwillingness to engage in discussions regarding American ceasefire proposals. His attempts did not result in a breakthrough. More recently, Trump had signaled his openness to supplying Ukraine with U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles, which possess the capability to strike deep within Russian territory. Yet, he scaled back that expectation on Thursday subsequent to his call with Putin.
Ukraine’s military has desired to incorporate Tomahawk missiles into its arsenal as a means to counter Russia’s capacity for deep strikes within Ukrainian territory. These sophisticated American armaments could hit targets in Moscow or St. Petersburg, Russia’s two principal cities. During his Washington visit, Zelensky also conferred with U.S. defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to discuss Ukraine’s potential acquisition of air defense systems, missiles, and fighter jets. Any such purchases would necessitate U.S. approval.
Zelensky anticipates that additional firepower would afford Ukraine greater leverage on the battlefield and persuade Putin to come to the negotiating table.
Unlike Zelensky’s two previous visits to the White House this year, no Oval Office meeting with Trump occurred on Friday. Instead, reporters were granted access at the commencement of a lunch between the two leaders in the Cabinet Room. Trump characterized Zelensky as a “highly capable leader” and an “individual who has endured considerable hardship.” Trump also remarked that the two of them “have established an exceptionally good rapport.”
It has taken time for Zelensky to cultivate an effective working relationship with Trump, who often spoke disparagingly of Ukraine during his campaign. Their meeting in February escalated into a shouting match, with Vice President J.D. Vance accusing Zelensky of being insufficiently appreciative of U.S. assistance, and Trump informing Zelensky that he lacked the necessary “leverage” to negotiate. In the months following that tense exchange, Trump has altered his course and indicated his belief that Zelensky can resist Russia.
Trump and Putin conversed by phone for over two hours on Thursday. When asked on Thursday about the content of his call with Putin, Trump responded: “I did indeed state: ‘Would you object if I provided a few thousand Tomahawks to your adversaries?’ I conveyed that to him. That is precisely how I phrased it.”
“He did not favor the idea. One must maintain a certain degree of lightheartedness occasionally,” Trump commented, adding that he would brief Zelensky on his conversation with Putin when they next meet.
Zelensky departed the White House just before 4 p.m., less than three hours after his arrival.
Recent surveys indicate growing support among Republicans for the U.S. to continue arming Ukraine’s defense, representing a notable shift after a prolonged period where GOP backing trailed that of Democrats. Polling undertaken by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that Republican approval for dispatching U.S. military assistance to Ukraine rose from 30% in March to 51% in July.
This increasing trajectory of Republican support appears to have persisted. A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll conducted in early October demonstrates that 73% of Republicans and 72% of Democrats favor providing arms to Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. This survey of 2,413 voters was conducted on October 1st and 2nd, carrying a margin of error of 1.99%.
The same poll also revealed that Volodymyr Zelensky currently enjoys broad popularity among Americans. Among prominent political figures, his favorability scores in the October Harvard CAPS-Harris poll were exceeded by only two individuals: Charlie Kirk and Erika Kirk.