President Volodymyr Zelensky left Washington without securing the delivery of Tomahawk missiles or security guarantees from the United States, despite the expectations of the Ukrainian side.

His meeting with President Donald Trump was described as sharp, as Zelensky himself wrote in a post.

The Ukrainian president's visit to the White House came a few hours after Trump's two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the announcement of an upcoming meeting in Budapest.

Kiev's initial excitement – that Trump would now recognize Putin as a liar who cannot be trusted, as the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk had stated – was quickly dispelled.

During the meeting at the White House, Trump said he believed Putin wanted to make a deal, reiterating that the conflict was largely due to bad blood between the two leaders.

Zelensky, careful not to publicly challenge the American president, limited himself to stating: We understand that Putin is not ready.

The atmosphere was tense. Trump was flanked by the secretaries of state, defense, and finance, while behind him were representatives of pro-Trump media outlets from the MAGA movement.

Zelensky praised Trump for his role as a peacemaker and thanked him for his help so far, but left without committing to new military support.

Trump concluded by saying that the war should freeze on the current battle lines and that both sides should return to their families.

For Ukraine and its allies, however, this is a war of aggression by an authoritarian power against a European democracy.

In Kiev, the frustration was palpable. If we make peace now, Russia will start preparing for a new, more professional war – perhaps against other countries, said Volodymyr Chepovatenko, a shopkeeper in a suburb of the city recently hit by Russian missiles. The only way to our security is to destroy Russia’s ability to fight again.

Olexandr Vilko, whose car was destroyed by the shock wave, said he was not particularly concerned about the decision about the Tomahawks.

The only force that decides what happens is our military, he said. It is almost the fourth year of war with the largest country in the world – and we are still surviving.

The meeting took place as Trump attempts to further boost his diplomatic profile following the Middle East ceasefire agreement.

He revealed that he had a two-hour phone conversation with Putin and plans to meet him soon in Budapest."I think things are going well. I think President Putin wants the war to end," he said.

In a post on social media, Trump called for a peace agreement that would freeze the conflict at the current fighting levels. It is time to stop the bloodshed and make a DEAL! Let them stop where they are and let both claim victory. History will decide, he wrote.

Zelensky described the issue of territorial concessions as very sensitive and difficult, insisting that the priority is achieving a ceasefire.

At the same time, he stated his willingness to meet with Putin and discuss possible concessions if long-term security guarantees are secured.

I agree with the president. Both sides need to stop. But between us, it concerns Putin, because we did not start this war, he said.

During the meeting, Zelensky stressed that a stronger Ukrainian counterattack could push Putin to the negotiating table.

He also pointed out that the recent Putin-Trump conversation may have been aimed at preventing the US from deploying long-range missiles.

Trump's stance towards Kiev is accompanied by new pressure moves towards Moscow.

The president announced that he had secured a commitment from India to halt purchases of Russian oil, although New Delhi has not confirmed the statement.

At the same time, Republicans in the Senate are preparing a bill for new sanctions against Russia, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a NATO meeting that Russia must suffer serious consequences.

The Tomahawk, high-precision missiles with a range of up to 2,400 km, were originally designed to bypass Soviet air defense systems — versions of which Russia still uses.

However, US forces have consumed much of their stockpiles in operations in the Middle East and Asia, which limits the weapons available.

"I hope they won't be needed," Trump said at the end of the meeting."I hope we can end the war without having to think about the Tomahawks."

Zelensky responded by proposing cooperation in drone technology, with Trump acknowledging: They make very good drones.