Trump, Zelenskyy to meet Friday on Ukraine defense against Russia

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet on the White Home on Friday to debate key defensive objects and techniques to raised counter Russia’s battle.

The assembly, introduced earlier this week, comes simply someday after Trump held a cellphone name with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy has made clear that his foremost aim is to safe higher protection of Ukraine amid ongoing Russian aerial bombardment of civilian targets resembling cities, vitality infrastructure and hospitals. His large goal is the American Tomahawk missile.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) meets with President Donald Trump (R) in Washington DC, United States on August 19, 2025. (Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos)

TRUMP, PUTIN PLANS HUNGARY MEETING ON WAR IN UKRAINE, ZELENSKYY TO VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE FRIDAY

With the flexibility to hit even additional than Moscow, the superior, extremely correct long-range cruise missile might increase Ukraine’s potential to penetrate additional into Russia and higher goal not solely its army complicated but in addition its oil trade, which has largely funded Putin’s battle chest.

However one safety skilled warned that “no weapon system will essentially be a silver bullet or a recreation changer,” John Hardie, deputy director of the Basis for Protection of Democracies (FDD) Russia program, instructed Fox Information Digital.

Hardie mentioned countering Russia’s battle should be completed via a variety of ways, together with growing missile energy for Ukraine, but in addition attacking Russia’s battle chest by undermining the Russian financial system via sanctions, hitting the oil trade and crippling the protection complicated.

Third, Ukraine should be higher outfitted for its battle effort on the entrance strains.

“Putin nonetheless appears to consider, or chooses to consider, that he can crush the Ukrainian forces on this battle of attrition, and that that may finally present him with a path to reaching a few of his targets,” Hardie mentioned. ‘He must be rid of that.

“The aim should be to use the offensive potential of the Russian military,” he added.

Hardie additionally identified that whereas massive objects like Tomahawks can be helpful for Ukraine given the lengthy distances and heavy payload, there are objects that Kiev might use extra effectively for its every day wants.

Condo buildings are broken by a Russian army strike, amid the Russian assault on Ukraine, within the frontline metropolis of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk area, Ukraine, October 13, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Press Service of the twenty fourth King Danylo Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Handout by way of Reuters.)

TRUMP THREATENS TO ‘TALK’ TO PUTIN ABOUT GIVING TOMAHAWK MISSILES TO UKRAINE NOW RUSSIA HAS THE HOSPITAL

“We’re sort of fixating on that one system, however there’s a variety of issues america can do to enhance Ukraine’s long-range precision strike capabilities,” he mentioned.

Programs such because the Prolonged-Vary Assault Munition (ERAM) missiles, a extra inexpensive long-range cruise missile designed by the US particularly for Ukraine, are anticipated to reach in early October.

Hardie additionally pointed to defensive techniques, that are helpful and crucial to raised defend towards Russia’s continued missile and drone assaults, resembling Patriot battery techniques.

After his cellphone name with Putin on Thursday, Trump mentioned “nice progress” had been made however gave no particulars on how progress was being made, though the pair agreed to satisfy in individual once more, this time in Hungary.

President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin, Friday, August 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. On Friday, Putin praised Trump’s peace efforts, regardless of not successful the Nobel Peace Prize. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/The Related Press.)

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Though Trump mentioned the pair mentioned U.S.-Russia commerce, he didn’t say whether or not U.S. help to Ukraine was mentioned, which gave the impression to be the impetus for the decision earlier this week when he instructed reporters he “might have to talk” with Putin about whether or not he wished U.S. Tomahawks close to his borders, in what gave the impression to be an implied risk.

However neither Tomahawks nor defensive help have been talked about within the president’s account of the talks.

Nevertheless, in accordance with Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, the problem was mentioned and contested by Putin.

“Vladimir Putin reiterated his assertion that Tomahawks won’t change the scenario on the battlefield, however they may trigger important injury to relations between our nations. To not point out the prospects for a peaceable resolution,” he instructed reporters after the decision, in accordance with Reuters.