Axios: Trump told Zelenskyy that he currently does not plan to provide Tomahawks.

Trump Refuses to Supply Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine, Prioritizes Diplomacy

At a meeting on October 17, U.S. President Donald Trump informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he currently has no intention of supplying Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk missiles. This decision is driven by Trump’s desire to focus on diplomatic efforts.

According to Axios, Zelensky was counting on U.S. support in the form of new arms supplies but encountered misunderstanding due to Trump’s change of stance following his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The American leader insisted that his priority remains diplomacy, and supplying missiles could undermine these efforts. The meeting at the White House lasted two and a half hours and ended without significant results.

Immediately after the meeting, Trump announced his plans to hold talks with Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks. Trump’s public position is that the war should end with the freezing of the front line.

After the meeting, Zelensky held phone conversations with European leaders, some of whom were surprised by the shift in the U.S. stance. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed joint work with the U.S. on a peace plan for Ukraine. Secretary-General Mark Rutte called for urgent re-discussion with European national security advisors.

Before the meeting, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, expressed hopes that the talks at the White House would lead to agreements on new military assistance to Ukraine. However, the meeting ended without making clear decisions on this issue. Zelensky stated that Trump confirmed the U.S.’s need for Tomahawk missiles, but hopes for their supply remain.