Trump says too early for Tomahawks, eyes peace deal with Russia
5 Min Read
Trump urges diplomacy over escalation during talks with Zelensky, as Washington and Moscow move toward a potential peace summit in Budapest.
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US President Donald Trump, second right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, seated left, sit as reporters ask questions before a lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington (AP)
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that it was too early to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, emphasizing that his administration’s priority remained ending the war with Russia through diplomacy.
“Hopefully they won’t need it. Hopefully we’ll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks,” Trump told reporters at the White House as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump added that he was confident Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to end the war, citing their recent phone call. “I think that President Putin wants to end the war,” he said.
Trump seeks a breakthrough ahead of Budapest Summit
The two leaders’ meeting came a day after Trump and Putin agreed to hold a new summit in Budapest, their first encounter since August’s talks in Alaska, which ended without progress toward a peace deal.
According to the Kremlin, the upcoming meeting could take place “within two weeks or a little later,” with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noting that Moscow proposed the call following Trump’s “successful trip to the Middle East.”
“Regarding the peaceful settlement [in Ukraine]: Russia maintains its openness,” Peskov said, stressing that Putin had reiterated this position during his conversation with the US president.
Zelensky skeptical of Putin’s intentions
Zelensky, appearing in a dark suit for his third meeting with Trump since the US president’s return to power, struck a more pessimistic tone, telling journalists that Putin was “not ready” for peace.
Kiev has been pressing Washington for weeks to approve the delivery of Tomahawk missiles, arguing that the long-range weapons could help pressure Moscow to end its war. However, Trump warned that the United States must avoid depleting its own arsenal, saying Tomahawks were “valuable assets” with a range of over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles).
Putin had earlier cautioned Trump against supplying the missiles, warning that it could escalate tensions and undermine the fragile diplomatic process.
Hungary offers to host US–Russia talks despite ICC warrant
The Kremlin said “many questions” remained before finalizing the Budapest summit, including who would represent each side in negotiations. But it dismissed concerns over Putin’s travel, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest.
Hungarian President Viktor Orban said his country would guarantee the Russian leader’s safe entry and ensure the summit’s success. “Budapest is the only suitable place in Europe for a USA–Russia peace summit,” Orban declared on X.
Trump, Zelensky mend strained ties
Zelensky’s Washington visit marked a shift in tone between the two leaders, whose relationship has reportedly seesawed since Trump’s return to office. Early in his term, Trump derided Zelensky as a “dictator without elections” and accused him of “not having the cards” during a tense televised exchange in February.
In recent months, however, Trump has expressed growing frustration with Putin, softening his stance toward Kiev while keeping communication lines with Moscow open. He acknowledged that Putin “may be playing for time” but said he remained confident of brokering peace.
“I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well,” Trump said. “So, it’s possible, a little time, it’s alright. But I think that I’m pretty good at this stuff. I think that he wants to make a deal.”
Trump confirms strike on ‘drug-carrying submarine’
Separately, Trump said US forces had targeted a submarine allegedly used by traffickers in the Caribbean. “We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs,” he told reporters.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was seated beside Trump, declined to confirm reports that there were survivors, saying details would be released later.
In another development, Trump said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had made broad offers to ease tensions with Washington.
“He has offered everything, you’re right. You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f**k around with the United States,” Trump said, when asked about reports that Caracas had proposed de-escalation plans.
Trump says India to end Russian oil purchases soon
In a different context, the US president claimed that India would soon halt its purchases of Russian crude, describing the move as part of broader international efforts to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Trump told reporters that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally assured him New Delhi would cease buying Russian oil, a claim Indian officials later said they were unaware of.
Read more: India denies Trump’s claim that Modi agreed to halt Russian oil buys
