During a recent White House meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly left without securing an immediate commitment for the highly sought-after Tomahawk cruise missiles from US President Donald Trump. Following what was described as a cordial bilateral discussion, Zelensky confirmed that long-range missiles were a key topic, but stated that both leaders opted against making public statements on the issue due to the United States' desire to avoid an "escalation."

President Trump maintained a non-committal stance on supplying the Tomahawks, emphasizing his hope that the conflict could conclude without their deployment. "Hopefully they won't need it, hopefully we'll be able to get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks," Trump remarked, also noting that America needed the weapons. He acknowledged that providing the missiles would constitute "an escalation" but indicated that discussions on the matter would continue. Zelensky, for his part, suggested Ukraine could offer drones in exchange for the powerful missiles, an idea that reportedly drew positive reactions from Trump.

The Ukrainian leader expressed his belief that deploying Tomahawks to target Russian oil and energy infrastructure would significantly weaken President Putin's war economy. While Trump had previously shown openness to the idea of selling Tomahawks, Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned that such a move would further exacerbate already strained US-Russian relations. Despite the lack of immediate commitment, Zelensky expressed a "realistic" outlook on the prospect of receiving the weapons.

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky took place just a day after President Trump held a "very productive" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During this call, the two leaders agreed to an upcoming face-to-face summit in Hungary. Trump alluded to the "threat" of Tomahawks as a factor that could encourage Putin towards a deal, stating, "The threat of that [the missiles] is good, but the threat of that is always there."

When questioned about Zelensky's potential involvement in the forthcoming talks with Putin, Trump noted the "bad blood" between the two Eastern European leaders. He suggested a format where all three leaders would be "involved in threes, but it may be separated," aiming to create a comfortable environment for all parties. This planned summit follows a previous attempt in Alaska in August which failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough in peace negotiations, and another instance where Trump interrupted a meeting with Zelensky and European leaders to call Putin.

Back in Ukraine, the ongoing conflict continues to have a profound impact. A BBC report featured a store-owner named Volodymyr in a Kyiv suburb, whose small business was recently destroyed by Russian missiles. When asked about the impending Trump-Putin summit, Volodymyr, visibly emotional, eventually composed himself to express a poignant sentiment: "Truth and democracy will win, and all the terrorism and evil will disappear. We just want to live, we don't want to give up, we just want them to leave us alone." This highlights the deep human cost and fervent desire for peace among the Ukrainian populace amidst ongoing geopolitical maneuvers.