Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to the United States during a meeting with Donald Trump in Washington to exchange Ukrainian drones for Tomahawk missiles.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Discussion on Military Cooperation and the American Position
On October 17, a meeting took place in Washington between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump. The Ukrainian president emphasized his readiness to provide the United States with thousands of modern Ukrainian-made drones in exchange for the supply of Tomahawk missiles. He highlighted that Ukraine is interested in collaborating with American arms manufacturers and is considering the possibility of mutually beneficial exchanges of technology and military equipment.
“We have thousands of drones of our production, we lack Tomahawks. And we are asking for Tomahawks. The U.S. has a powerful production capacity and other missiles besides Tomahawks. We need to work together with American manufacturers. There will be some exchange—we have proposals,” Zelensky said.
In response, Donald Trump noted that the United States must first ensure its own security regarding Tomahawk missiles, as future challenges cannot be predicted. He also acknowledged the importance of drones in modern warfare and praised the quality of Ukrainian drones, emphasizing the growing relevance of drone technologies in armed conflicts.
Public Discussion Limited and Next Steps
After the negotiations, Volodymyr Zelensky stated during a briefing that the issue of a possible transfer of Tomahawks to Ukraine will not be discussed publicly for now, as the United States seeks to avoid escalating the conflict. This matter remains without official decisions for the time being.
In addition to the missile topic, the presidents also discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defense system and preparations for the announced meeting between the U.S. president and Putin in Budapest. Zelensky expressed hope that Donald Trump would exert pressure for a swift end to the war.
After the meeting, Donald Trump urged Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin to “stop the killings and make a deal.” In his statement, he emphasized the need to preserve lives and suggested that both sides find a path to peace.
“Let both declare victory, let history decide! No more shots, no more death, no more huge and unmanageable sums of money. This is a war that would never have started if I were president. Thousands of people are killed every week. Enough, go home in peace to your families!” – Trump added.