Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to arrive in Washington, DC this week for a high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, with the fate of Ukraine’s security—and the broader balance of power in Eastern Europe—hanging in the balance. The visit, confirmed for Friday, October 17, 2025, comes at a moment when Ukraine faces intensifying Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure and as the U.S. debates the potential provision of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, a move that has sparked both hope and anxiety on the world stage.
The agenda is packed and urgent. Zelenskyy has made clear that the "main topics will be air defense and our long-range capabilities, to maintain pressure on Russia," as reported by TNND. The Ukrainian leader, who has been vocal about the need for advanced weaponry to counter Russian aggression, is expected to press for U.S. support in bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses and securing Tomahawk cruise missiles—an offensive weapon that could shift the dynamics of the war.
The diplomatic flurry began earlier this week, when President Trump extended an official invitation to Zelenskyy following back-to-back phone calls over the weekend. Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna confirmed the invitation on Monday, telling The Post that Zelenskyy would travel to Washington for a White House meeting. Zelenskyy himself took to social media to confirm the visit, stating, "This week, I will meet with President Trump in Washington. I think we will need to discuss the steps I want to propose to the president."
The Ukrainian delegation is already on U.S. soil, led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and including key advisers such as Andriy Yermak and Rustem Umerov. Their mission: to lay the groundwork for the summit and engage in a series of discussions with U.S. defense companies, senators, members of Congress, and energy firms. As Zelenskyy explained, "There will be several other important meetings – with defense companies, and possibly with senators and members of Congress. I will also meet with energy companies." He added that these meetings are necessary given the "pressing needs linked to various formats of attacks," underscoring Ukraine’s urgent need to prepare for further assaults on its power grid and critical infrastructure.
The timing of Zelenskyy’s visit is no coincidence. Russia has ramped up attacks on Ukraine’s electricity and gas networks in recent weeks, seeking to cripple the country’s energy supply ahead of winter and erode public morale. As Zelenskyy put it during a meeting with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, "We expect problems with electricity. After one or two attacks, we may have to import electricity." According to Reuters, he has already outlined to Trump his vision for the number of Tomahawk missiles Ukraine needs, though he cautioned that it is "early" to discuss the specifics of procurement, which could potentially happen under NATO’s Ukraine Priority Needs List program.
President Trump, for his part, has kept his cards close to the chest but has not ruled out providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, "We'll see... I may," when asked if he would consider sending the long-range weapons to Ukraine, as reported by NBC News. He elaborated, "I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks.’ The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that." In another exchange, Trump remarked, "Do they want Tomahawks going in their direction? I don’t think so."
The possibility of U.S. missile deliveries has not gone unnoticed in Moscow. The Kremlin has expressed "extreme concern" over the prospect, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington. The Associated Press notes that Russia’s apprehension is rooted in the potential for these weapons to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory, a scenario that could escalate the conflict dramatically.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, sees an opportunity to leverage recent diplomatic successes elsewhere. The meeting follows in the wake of a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Trump and his envoys. Zelenskyy has drawn parallels between the pressure applied to Hamas and the approach he hopes the U.S. will take with Russia. "Putin can be forced to make peace – like any other terrorist," he said in a post to X. "Even Hamas [released] hostages. If this is possible, then Putin can also be forced to restore peace." In an interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy stated that the peace agreement in the Middle East has given Ukraine "hope," even as he acknowledged Trump’s assessment that the war in Ukraine is "more difficult [to end], that it’s a bigger war."
The summit will not be limited to bilateral talks. According to reports from Reuters and United24 Media, Zelenskyy’s trip will also involve multilateral discussions with European leaders at the White House—a recognition of the conflict’s broader geopolitical ramifications. President Trump, who recently hosted a Gaza ceasefire summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and over 20 world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, has floated the idea that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could play a role in mediating the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "Erdogan can," Trump told reporters, noting that the Turkish leader is "respected by Russia" and could act as a go-between, though he was less certain about Erdogan’s standing with Ukraine.
Turkey, for its part, has maintained an active diplomatic posture, urging both Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting through negotiations and offering to mediate any peace initiative. Ankara’s involvement underscores the international dimension of the ongoing crisis and the web of interests at play as world leaders seek to prevent further escalation.
Back in Ukraine, the stakes could hardly be higher. Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have already forced Kyiv to contemplate importing electricity, and the threat of a cold, dark winter looms large. At the same time, Ukraine has been stepping up its own pressure campaign, targeting Russia’s energy sector in an effort to sap Moscow’s war chest. The outcome of Zelenskyy’s Washington visit could determine not only the next phase of the conflict but also the resilience of Ukraine’s civilian population in the months ahead.
As the world watches, the message from Kyiv is clear: Ukraine needs real air defense and long-range capabilities to survive and, ultimately, to force Russia to the negotiating table. Whether Washington will deliver—both literally and figuratively—remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the decisions made this week could reverberate far beyond the corridors of power in Washington and Moscow, shaping the future of Europe for years to come.