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President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to have left a Washington summit without securing the sought-after Tomahawk cruise missiles from President Donald Trump.

Zelensky remarked following the civil meeting that both leaders had talked about long-range missiles, but decided not to make statements on that issue "since the United States does not want an intensification."

Trump's Position on Weapons Transfer

While the US president left open the possibility of supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine, his tone during the Washington meeting was cautious.

"With hope Ukraine won't require them, hopefully we'll be able to end the conflict without considering Tomahawks," Trump stated, noting that America needed the weapons for its own defense.

Trump acknowledged that sending the missiles would be "a significant escalation, but discussions will continue."

International Political Developments

This high-level meeting occurred just 24 hours following President Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and arranged to hold face-to-face talks in Budapest soon.

After the meeting, the US president took to social media to urge Kyiv and Moscow to "cease current positions" and conclude the conflict.

Ukrainian Perspective and Proposals

The Ukrainian leader proposed that his country could provide drones in return for the Tomahawks, a suggestion that prompted positive reactions from Trump.

Zelensky also praised his counterpart on his efforts in securing a peace deal in the Middle East, implying that the American president could capitalize on that momentum to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Future Talks and Concerns

When asked about whether the prospect of Ukrainian forces having the advanced missiles had influenced Putin to agree to meet Trump, Zelensky answered, "It's unclear," adding that the prospect had made Russia to be "concerned because it is a powerful military asset."

Asked if he was leaving Washington more optimistic that his nation would get the missiles, he stated, "I am realistic."

Zelensky believes that employing these missiles to strike at Russian oil and energy facilities would severely weaken Russia's military funding capabilities.

Human Impact of the Conflict

"Justice and freedom will win, and all the terrorism and evil will vanish," stated one local businessman. "We simply wish to exist peacefully, we refuse to surrender, we just want them to leave us alone."

The emotional response emerged as citizens in Kyiv persist in rebuild their lives and businesses destroyed by ongoing missile attacks.

Ongoing Peace Process

In recent days, the US president had demonstrated an openness to the concept of selling the missile systems, even as Putin warned that such a move would further strain the bilateral relations.

Trump had anticipated that a personal meeting in Alaska in last summer would help convince the Russian president to enter into substantial negotiations to resolve the conflict, but that summit did not achieve a decisive breakthrough.

Both presidents are now arranging for additional negotiations as the conflict in the region continues to develop.