US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met at the White House on Friday, but neither side seems to have emerged with a clear win. The two leaders engaged in cordial bilateral talks, during which they discussed various issues affecting Ukraine, including the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The main point of contention was Tomahawk missiles, long-range cruise missiles capable of striking deep into enemy territory. Zelensky had hoped to secure a deal for these powerful weapons, arguing that using them would severely weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin's war economy. However, Trump indicated that he was not ready to supply the missiles, citing concerns about escalating tensions.
When asked if he thought Putin wanted a deal or was just playing for time by agreeing to a new summit, Trump replied that while it's possible Putin might be trying to buy time, he believes his Russian counterpart wants to make a deal. The US president also stated that teams from Washington and Moscow would meet next week following their recent phone call.
The meeting came as news of Russia's devastating missile strikes on Ukrainian cities emerged once again. A couple in Kyiv told the BBC they had lost their store to the attacks, and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Despite this dire backdrop, Zelensky seemed relatively upbeat about the talks, saying that Trump appeared open to discussing Ukraine's military needs. However, when asked if he thought Putin wanted a deal or was just playing for time by agreeing to a new summit, Zelensky said: "I don't know," and later stated that while the prospect of Ukraine having Tomahawks had caused Russia to be afraid, he remains realistic about the possibility of securing the weapons.
The main point of contention was Tomahawk missiles, long-range cruise missiles capable of striking deep into enemy territory. Zelensky had hoped to secure a deal for these powerful weapons, arguing that using them would severely weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin's war economy. However, Trump indicated that he was not ready to supply the missiles, citing concerns about escalating tensions.
When asked if he thought Putin wanted a deal or was just playing for time by agreeing to a new summit, Trump replied that while it's possible Putin might be trying to buy time, he believes his Russian counterpart wants to make a deal. The US president also stated that teams from Washington and Moscow would meet next week following their recent phone call.
The meeting came as news of Russia's devastating missile strikes on Ukrainian cities emerged once again. A couple in Kyiv told the BBC they had lost their store to the attacks, and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Despite this dire backdrop, Zelensky seemed relatively upbeat about the talks, saying that Trump appeared open to discussing Ukraine's military needs. However, when asked if he thought Putin wanted a deal or was just playing for time by agreeing to a new summit, Zelensky said: "I don't know," and later stated that while the prospect of Ukraine having Tomahawks had caused Russia to be afraid, he remains realistic about the possibility of securing the weapons.
. He's got his mind made up, but doesn't want to commit on anything, including them new-fangled Tomahawk missiles 
. I mean, come on, if Zelensky is gonna ask for something, he should get it 
. Putin's already being super aggressive with those missile strikes, and Trump's just sitting there like "I'm good" 
. It's like they're speaking different languages or something 
. Meanwhile, the people of Ukraine are just trying to survive, and we're all over here waiting for some concrete action 
. I hope Zelensky doesn't get discouraged, but it's hard not to wonder if anything's gonna change in this situation 
.
the fact that trump didn't wanna give those tomahawk missiles to zelensky makes me wonder if trump really thinks it's gonna make a diff, but at the same time, i feel bad for zelensky not getting any clear answers from him 
maybe pputin is playing games as trump said, but what if he's also trying to hide his own plans? 
and the fact that they're still meeting next week after their phone call is a good sign, but we should be prepared for another letdown if u know what i mean 
, and zelensky seems chill about it even after all those missile strikes happened - gotta keep a level head, right? 
the fact that teams from washington and moscow are meeting next week is a step in the right direction, maybe they can actually make some progress on this conflict thing...
But I guess that's just how politics works, right? It's all about finding that sweet spot where both sides feel like they're getting what they need.
also gotta feel for those ukrainians who lost their stores to russian attacks 
hope they get some relief soon...