Trump’s planned meeting with Putin catches Zelenskyy off guard during US visit
US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly took Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by surprise.
The portal noted that Zelenskyy had just arrived in Washington on Thursday afternoon, expressing optimism about his scheduled talks with Trump and the US leader’s potential approval for the supply of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, News.Az reports, citing Axios.
However, shortly after landing at Andrews Air Force Base, Zelenskyy and his team were caught off guard when Trump publicly revealed that he had spoken to Putin and agreed to meet him in Hungary — described by Axios as “the least Ukraine-friendly country in the European Union.”
During his visit, Zelenskyy is also expected to meet with executives from leading US defense firms, including Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, to discuss ongoing military support and arms cooperation.
Trump is scheduled to host Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, where the Ukrainian leader is expected to formally request authorization for Tomahawk missile deliveries.
Following his Thursday phone call with Putin, Trump announced that both leaders had agreed to meet in Budapest, adding later that the meeting could take place “within the next two weeks.”
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