OSLO/WASHINGTON D.C.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received no promises about cruise missiles in his meeting with Trump.

– Thank you for our phone calls. I am confident that with your help we can stop the war, Zelenskyy told Trump when they met on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Norwegian time.

– We are ready to talk with Russia. Achieving peace and security guarantees is the most important thing for Ukraine, says Zelenskyj.

Zelensky also congratulated Trump on the Middle East peace agreement during the session, where the press is present.

Trump says he had a good conversation with Putin yesterday and that he believes Putin will make a deal. But he also points out that there is a lot of bad blood between the parties.

– We want to stop the war quickly. So many people have died. The war in the Middle East was much more difficult, and we were able to stop it, says Trump.

Trump says he hopes the war in Ukraine will end without the country needing American Tomahawk missiles.

Long-range weapons are a key topic of the meeting between Trump and Zelensky. The Ukrainian president will ask Trump for Tomahawk missiles, which can hit targets deep into Russia.

During the meeting with the press, Trump says that if Ukraine gets missiles, it could strain the United States' own defense capabilities.

– There is a problem. We need tomahawks, and we need a lot of other things that we have sent over the last four years to Ukraine.

Ukraine wants missiles

Zelensky has already visited the manufacturer of the missiles.

He has several clear goals for his meeting at the White House this time:

• He wants the aforementioned Tomahawk missiles,
• He wants Trump to put more pressure on Putin.
• He wants to avoid delays in military aid to Ukraine.
• He wants to build on the momentum for peace after the ceasefire in the Middle East and get Trump to bet that the Ukraine war is the next conflict to be resolved.

Stayed in the guesthouse

This is Zelenskyy's third meeting at the White House since Donald Trump took office on January 20 of this year. Last winter, the meeting ended in anger and chaos after an open-stage argument.

Since then, relations have improved. This time, the Ukrainian has been staying overnight in the official guesthouse Blair House, right across the street from the White House.

The meeting will take place in the government meeting room, instead of the Oval Office.

Met defense industry

Before arriving at the White House, Zelensky met with executives from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, two of the largest arms manufacturers in the world.

• With Raytheon, he talked about Patriot, an air defense missile system. Ukraine wants to expand joint production of this. Zelenskyy also wants to expand his ability to bomb deep into Russia. Raytheon has Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Ukraine would like to have.
• With Lockheed Martin, he discussed F-16 fighter jets, missiles for this aircraft, and additional air defense capabilities before winter.
• He has also met with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and power companies to talk about better securing the power grid.

Talked to Putin

The meeting with the Ukrainian president comes the day after Trump had a lengthy phone call with Russian President Putin.

After the call, Trump said he would meet with the Russian leader in Hungary to discuss the war in Ukraine within two weeks or so.

Trump said Thursday evening that he asked Putin if he would mind if the United States sent a few thousand Tomahawk missiles to his adversary.

– He didn't like the idea. He didn't like it. I said so. You have to be a little cheerful sometimes, Trump said.

He also signaled that the United States needs Tomahawks and cannot empty its own stockpiles.

"The Tomahawk is a brutal weapon. It is a brutal, offensive and extremely destructive weapon," he said.