Zelensky offers US drone deal for Tomahawk missiles

Shafaq News – Washington / Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed boosting US drone production in exchange for Tomahawk missiles during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday.

This meeting marks at least the third in-person summit between Trump and Zelensky since Trump returned to office. Their previous encounters included a sharply contested February 28 Oval Office meeting.

Zelensky said Trump was well-informed about the battlefield situation and described the talks as an opportunity to advance cooperation. He noted that Ukrainian forces are pushing back Russian troops and inflicting losses, but cautioned that Moscow “is not ready for peace.”

He reiterated Ukraine’s need for a ceasefire and its readiness for diplomacy if Russia halts its attacks, expressing hope that Trump could help bring the war to an end.

Ukrainian president also held discussions with top US defense and energy officials, including executives from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, on strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses, joint production of weapons systems, and energy infrastructure recovery.

I met with executives of American energy companies. The challenge is clear – Ukraine needs more strength, and we can achieve this together. We discussed the urgent needs of the moment – very concrete measures to support our energy system, as well as long-term cooperation. There… pic.twitter.com/sGw26GWbEc

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 17, 2025