President Donald Trump said the U.S. could accept Ukrainian-made drones in exchange for Tomahawk missiles. The remarks follow previous statements he made that the U.S. needs the weapons for its own defense.
During a meeting with his cabinet and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump told reporters that he was looking into the drone exchange plan but reiterated the importance of the missiles’ role in U.S. military defense.
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Comments following Zelenskyy meeting
“Tomahawks are a big deal,” Trump said. “But one thing I have to say, we want Tomahawks, also. We don’t want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country.”
After the meeting on Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Russia and Ukraine need to “stop where they are” and end the war.
“Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts,” he wrote. “They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide.”
Following the post, Zelenskyy agreed that a ceasefire was needed and that negotiations should start. However, he did not fully agree that the two countries should “stop where they are.” Russia currently controls almost 20% of Ukraine. This includes Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 and started the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Trump said the hatred between the two countries has made it difficult for negotiations.
As recently as Sunday, Trump said he was “going to send Tomahawks” to Ukraine if the war was not settled.
But after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, he cautioned: “We need Tomahawks for the United States of America too. We have a lot of them, but we need them. We can’t deplete our country.”
According to The Associated Press, Putin advisor Yuri Ushakov warned that transferring the weapons “would cause substantial damage” to U.S.–Russian ties.
Deep strikes and energy deals
Since at least October 2024, when Zelenskyy criticized a leak about Kyiv’s confidential request for Tomahawk missiles and hinted that Ukraine was seeking the system, he has pushed for long-range options to hit military targets and infrastructure, according to Newsweek and Reuters.
He first framed the ask as part of a confidential “non-nuclear deterrence package” within a broader “victory plan.”
Tomahawks would give Kyiv the ability to hit targets deep inside Russia. Variants have a range of roughly 1,500 miles and fly at low altitude, making them harder to intercept.
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Deutsche Welle reports that, if the U.S. supplies Tomahawks, Zelenskyy says Ukraine would use them only against Russian military targets.
On the economic front, Ukrainian officials say he plans to court Trump with proposals that include storing U.S. liquefied natural gas in Ukraine’s gas storage facilities to strengthen a U.S. foothold in Europe’s energy market, the AP reported.
Zelenskyy previewed that pitch on Thursday in meetings with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. energy executives. He later wrote on X that Ukraine must rebuild war-damaged energy infrastructure and expand “the presence of American businesses in Ukraine.”
Putin’s diplomatic calendar
Trump said he and Putin will meet soon in Budapest “to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ war… to an end.” Senior aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are also set to meet with Russian counterparts next week, according to the AP.
Trump added on Truth Social that Putin congratulated him on the Middle East peace deal, which Trump believes will help negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto confirmed that Budapest is ready to host the summit, telling Russian state media that his country will provide “full security” for the talks to be successful and ensure that Putin can return home. Putin faces war-crimes charges from the International Criminal Court, which Hungary does not recognize.
Hungary withdrew from the ICC in April after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the ICC had become a tool of political influence.
Why Trump’s posture might be shifting
Trump has voiced growing frustration with Putin and, at times, greater confidence in Ukraine’s prospects.
NPR reported that in September, Trump called Russia a “paper tiger” and suggested that Ukraine could reclaim all occupied territory. Former U.S. diplomat Daniel Fried told NPR that Trump may have been impressed by Ukraine’s deep strikes and now sees backing Putin as “backing somebody who’s a potential loser.”
Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, senior director at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told NPR that sometimes “pushing hard for peace” means recognizing Russia as the aggressor and arming Ukraine accordingly.
