Putin-Trump call a curveball for Zelensky ahead of White House meeting

October 17, 2025

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to meet in person to discuss the Ukraine war during a phone call that occurred while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was en route to Washington. This development comes as Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks, with dozens of missiles and over 300 drones targeting civilian infrastructure in the past 24 hours. Zelensky had been hoping to secure Trump's permission to purchase long-range Tomahawk missiles during his Washington visit, but Trump's conversation with Putin—in which they discussed a potential summit in Hungary within two weeks—may have undermined Ukraine's position.

Who is affected

Ukrainian civilians facing power outages and damaged gas infrastructure as winter approaches
Ukraine's military forces battling at a frontline stalemate
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government
Injured Ukrainian civilians, including a woman hurt in a Russian strike on a railway carriage
The Russian economy experiencing effects from Ukrainian drone strikes

What action is being taken

Russia is launching dozens of missiles and over 300 drones at Ukrainian targets, including civilian infrastructure
Trump and Putin are arranging a summit in Hungary expected within two weeks
Zelensky is meeting with representatives of defense companies in Washington
Zelensky is still planning to ask the White House for Tomahawk missiles
Ukraine is conducting drone strikes on Russian oil depots

Why it matters

The timing of Trump's call with Putin undermines Zelensky's Washington visit and Ukraine's negotiating position
Ukraine urgently needs military assistance as winter approaches with damaged energy infrastructure
Tomahawk missiles would give Ukraine capability to strike deeper into Russia with more powerful weapons
The pattern of Trump softening his stance after speaking with Putin affects Ukraine's defense capabilities
The potential summit between Trump and Putin could significantly impact the future direction of the war

What's next

Trump and Putin plan to meet in Hungary, likely within the next two weeks
Zelensky will still ask the White House for permission to purchase Tomahawk missiles
The logistical deployment of any approved Tomahawk missiles would take months

Read full article from source: BBC