Donald Trump has just welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House – with the Ukrainian hoping to secure new long-range missiles from the US. Hanging over this meeting is Trump’s planned summit with Vladimir Putin, which was agreed in a two-hour call just yesterday. Follow live below.
Friday 17 October 2025 19:22, UK
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The round table with Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy ends with an expletive – but it’s nothing to do with the war in Ukraine.
Donald Trump is asked about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has appealed for peace with the US after Trump authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside his country.
“He has offered everything. He’s offered everything, you’re right,” Trump says of Maduro.
“You know why? Because he doesn’t want to f*** around with the United States.”
Donald Trump is asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing for time by proposing another face-to-face summit with the US leader.
Such a meeting is likely to defer Trump’s decision on whether to allow Ukraine to use Tomahawk cruise missiles in the war.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that Russia was “rushing to resume dialogue as it hears about Tomahawks”.
Asked if Putin was playing him for time, Trump says: “It’s possible. I’ve been played all my life by the best of them.
“But I’m pretty good at this stuff if he wants to make a deal.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asked about his relationship with Donald Trump.
He says the two leaders “have important dialogues”.
“I think we are beginning to understand each other.
“I know the president is briefed very well about the situation on the battlefield, and he knows a lot about what’s going on in Ukraine. I think that really helps when you know the details.”
Donald Trump says Ukraine striking deep inside Russia would represent an escalation in the war.
But as the president is asked if his administration would allow Kyiv to attack in such a way, he replies: “We’re going to be talking about that”.
A Ukrainian reporter proposes to Donald Trump that giving Kyiv the Tomahawk missiles it wants would balance the playing field, considering Russia has been using similar missiles since 2022.
Trump calls it a “fair question” and jokes it’s “exactly as he told you to say it”, pointing to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggests Ukraine can provide the US with “thousands of drones” if Washington allows it to use Tomahawk missiles.
“That’s why where we can work together, where we can strengthen American production,” he says.
“We have a big proposition with our drones,”
Trump is asked whether this deal is something he would be interested in.
“Yeah, we would be,” he replies. “We have a lot of drones right now. We build our own drones, but we also buy drones from others, and they [Ukraine] make a very good drone.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asked by a reporter if he will make concessions to end the war in Ukraine
“First of all, I think we need to sit and speak,” he says.
“The second point, we need a ceasefire. Even now you see in the Middle East, it’s very difficult to hold a ceasefire.”
Zelenskyy says he is “ready to speak in any kind of format”.
“Bilateral, trilateral: it doesn’t matter. Just peace. This is important.”
He says securing bilateral security guarantees with the US is “the most important document because the US is very strong”.
Donald Trump takes a moment to compliment Volodymyr Zelenksyy’s outfit.
“I think he looks beautiful in his jacket,” the US president says.
Zelenskyy was criticised by a reporter in the Oval Office for not wearing a suit during his first meeting with Trump in February.
The Ukrainian dressed more formally for his second meeting in Washington in August, and appears to have done so again today.
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are giving remarks to the media inside the White House.
Trump says it’s “an honour” to be with a “strong leader” and “man who I’ve got to know very well” in Zelenskyy.
He says he’ll be talking to the Ukrainian about his call with Vladimir Putin yesterday.
“I think we’re making great progress,” Trump says.
“We’re going to be talking about that today. We’ll be talking about what took place yesterday with my phone call with President Putin.
“I think that things are coming along pretty well. It began with Alaska, where I think certain guidelines were discussed. And we want to see if we can get this done.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now pulled up at the White House for his meeting with Donald Trump.
The Ukrainian leader smiles as he is welcomed by Trump, who raises his fist in the air and poses for the cameras.
The pair exchange a few words as they have their picture taken before heading inside.
A reporter shouts to Trump and asks whether Vladimir Putin is “negotiating in good faith”, but he does not respond.
Andriy Yermak, one of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s top aides, has posted on X ahead of the Ukrainian president’s arrival at the White House.
Stood in front of a George Washington painting inside the Ukraine embassy, Yermak says: “Under the gaze of one of the founder’s portraits, new alliances are forged for freedom and peace.”
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