A surprise phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday has disrupted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s diplomatic plans in Washington. The two leaders agreed to meet soon to discuss the war in Ukraine, blindsiding officials in Kyiv who had been counting on new American military aid.
The timing could hardly have been worse. Within just 24 hours, Russia unleashed dozens of missiles and more than 300 drones across Ukraine. Civilian infrastructure took heavy damage again, with gas supplies hit just as temperatures began to drop. The attacks left entire regions in the dark, signaling another long, freezing winter ahead.
Moscow’s strikes reveal desperation
For Kyiv, these renewed attacks underline Russia’s growing weakness. The frontlines remain locked, with massive losses on both sides for minimal territorial gains. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil depots have started to bite deeply into Moscow’s economy.
Zelensky had hoped his visit to Washington would bring the breakthrough he needed. Before leaving Kyiv, he sounded upbeat, convinced that political momentum in the US was turning in Ukraine’s favor. Some advisers even believed Trump was beginning to understand Ukraine’s perspective—an extraordinary shift after their tense Oval Office encounter in February, when Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three.”
The Tomahawk question dominates hopes
After the failed Trump-Putin Alaska summit and Russia’s growing aggression, Kyiv believed Trump was losing patience with his “good friend.” Expectations soared that the White House would finally approve the sale of long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Trump himself had hinted at frustration. “Do they want Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so,” he said earlier this week. Yet experts warned that even if approved, the missiles could take months to deploy due to complex logistics.
Still, the symbolism mattered. Tomahawks would allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia—an unmistakable signal that America’s support was growing stronger and its patience with Moscow was running out.
A phone call mid-flight changes everything
The Trump-Putin phone conversation lasted two and a half hours and took place while Zelensky was still flying to Washington. The timing overshadowed his trip instantly.
Trying to project confidence, Zelensky said on arrival that Russia was “rushing to renew dialogue” because of growing talk about Tomahawks. But analysts offered another explanation. The Kremlin confirmed it had requested the call, and Putin used it to warn Trump that delivering Tomahawks would be seen as a grave provocation.
The two leaders also discussed what Moscow described as “colossal prospects” for trade if peace could be achieved. They agreed to meet in Hungary within two weeks. Trump later called the discussion “very productive.”
Ukraine faces a chilling winter
As the war grinds into its fourth winter, Ukrainians doubt that Trump can deliver peace. One woman injured in a Russian strike on a train carriage captured the country’s mood: “A person like Putin can’t be trusted,” she said from her hospital bed.
After landing in Washington, Zelensky met with executives from US defense firms producing the advanced weapons he says Ukraine urgently needs. He still intends to ask for Tomahawks, though the odds now appear far slimmer than before.
The familiar diplomatic cycle returns
Every time Trump’s irritation with Putin grows, a single phone call seems to soothe it. Each conversation eases tensions and delays tougher US action.
The planned summit in Hungary, announced without clear conditions, suggests Washington’s patience remains limited. For now, Ukraine’s hopes for long-range missiles have been replaced by uncertainty. Instead of leaving Washington with stronger backing, Zelensky faces a setback delivered not by force, but by diplomacy.
