Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Raytheon executives in Washington, October 16, 2025

Thursday’s Coverage: Russian Missile Strikes On Cities Across Country

UPDATE 1814 GMT:

Donald Trump has expressed interest in a Kremlin proposal, trying to lure him and Elon Musk into support of its position on Ukraine, for a “Putin-Trump Tunnel” (see 0906 GMT) linking the US and Russia via the Bering Strait.

UPDATE 1804 GMT:

Donald Trump has hedged on supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Asked by a Ukrainian reporter about the provision, Trump replied, “Fair question — exactly as [Zelensky] told you to say it. We’re going to be talking about it.”

Trump said later:

One of the reasons we want to get this war over is…that it’s not easy for us to give you…massive numbers of very powerful weapons….Hopefully they won’t need it. Hopefully we’ll be able to get the war over with without thinking about Tomahawks.”

He added, “We want Tomahawks also. We don’t want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country.”

As well as seeking assurances about Tomahawks, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested a deal with the US to sell Kyiv thousands of drones that have been tested and used with success on the battlefield.

UPDATE 1752 GMT:

At a press appearance in the White House, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Vladimir Putin to enter negotiations:

First of all, I think we need to sit and speak. The second point, we need ceasefire….As I said previously said, we are ready to speak in any kind of format, bilateral, trilateral, doesn’t matter.

He emphasized that “NATO, for Ukrainians, is very important”, but the “most important thing” is “really strong security guarantees”.

Weapons is very important. Allies on our side is very important. And between us, for us, bilateral security guarantees between me and President Trump is very important.

Donald Trump rambled a lot of “bad blood” between Zelensky and Putin.

These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody. So one way or the other we’ll be involved in threes, but it may be separated.

Well, let’s see what happens. I mean, you know what? I think he will. I think that President Putin wants to end the war, or I wouldn’t be talking this way.

In contrast to Zelensky’s February 28 appearance in the White House, when an ambush by Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance included criticism of the Ukraine President’s outfit, Trump complimented today’s fashion choice:

UPDATE 1515 GMT:

Before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in Budapest, “multiple people briefed on the talks” have discussed how Putin mishandled his August 15 encounter with Trump in Alaska.

Hoping for a deal to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin. But the Russian leader rejected Trump’s offer of sanctions relief for a ceasefire, insisting the invasion would end only if Ukraine capitulated and surrendered more territory in the east of the country.

Putin went on a historical ramble about medieval princes such as Rurik of Novgorod and Yaroslav the Wise and 17th century Cossack chieftain Bohdan Khmelnytsky to claim Ukraine and Russia are one nation.

Trump raised his voice several times and at one point threatened to walk out. He cut the meeting short and cancelled a planned lunch with broader delegations on economic and co-operation.

According to “two people familiar with the matter”, Trump said the US was willing to recognize Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea and to press Ukraine to withdraw from some frontline positions in the Donbas region in the east. In return, Russia would stop military operations.

UPDATE 1416 GMT:

Ukrainian drones have set a large oil depot afire in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The depot in Hvardiiske was in struck early Friday. A large column of black smoke rose over the area, and is still visible from Simferopol, Crimea’s second-largest city.

Russian occupation authorities ignored the oil depot attack, but reported multiple strikes on power substations.

The depot belongs to LLC Kedr, which operates Crimea’s largest group of gasoline stations with more than 100 outlets and a fleet of tanker trucks. The complex contains eight large and six smaller storage tanks.

UPDATE 1146 GMT:

The European Union has welcomed the proposed meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Hungary’s capital Budapest if this can help end Russia’s invasion.

A spokesperson said Putin is subject to an asset freeze but not a travel ban, allowing the Russian leader to visit EU member Hungary.

A German Government spokesperson said, “The pressure on Vladimir Putin for serious peace talks must be increased as a matter of urgency. He reacts to pressure….This telephone call yesterday also showed that it is also a consequence of decisions based on announcements by the US side.”

UPDATE 0906 GMT:

Vladimir Putin’s economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev has proposed a “Putin-Trump Tunnel”, connecting the US and Russia through the Bering Strait, to “symbolize the unity” of Moscow and Washington.

Dmitriev referred to a plan for a tunnel in the documents of John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s. The project would be called the “Kennedy-Khrushchev Peace Bridge” after the US President and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Dmitriev said the 112-km (70-mile) tunnel will open up opportunities for joint resource development, creating jobs and boosting the economies of both countries.

The advisor, who has been in contact with the Trump camp since at least January 2017, maintained the project’s cost could be significantly lower than the estimates of $65 billion. He declared that, using technology from Elon Musk’s The Boring Company, the construction could be accomplished in eight years for less than $8 billion.

“Let’s build the future together!” he exclaimed.

UPDATE 0901 GMT:

In Washington, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky also met Energy Secretary Chris Wright and representatives of American energy firms.

UPDATE 0856 GMT:

Russian forces attacked energy infrastructure in four Ukrainian regions overnight: Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Sumy, and Donetsk.

“Emergency repair crews are working around the clock to restore electricity as quickly as possible,” said Ukraine’s Energy Ministry.

It urged Ukrainians to use electricity efficiently throughout the day, especially during peak consumption hours in the morning and evening. Restrictions for businesses and industry are in effect nationwide from 07:00 to 22:00 on Friday.

UPDATE 0841 GMT:

Continuing its persecution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, Russia has sentenced 15 soldiers to between 15 and 21 years in a maximum security penal colony.

The troops of the Aidar Battalion were captured in 2022. They were tried for taking part in “a terrorist organization” in a closed-doors trial in a military court in Rostov-on-Don in southwest Russia.

UPDATE 0831 GMT:

The European Union is requiring fuel importers to prove their supplies are not made from Russian crude oil.

The EU is preparing its ban on the Russian imports, which takes effect from January 21, as part of its 18th sanctions package against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.

At an energy conference in Moscow on Thursday, Vladimir Putin complained of Russian oil’s struggle with “unfair” practices. He insisted European countries had hurt their economies by cutting purchases of Russian gas.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Washington for a series of meetings, including a working lunch with Donald Trump at the White House.

Zelensky’s discussion with US defense industries began on Thursday. He posted video of his session at Raytheon, a leading manufacturer of weapons and electronics.

In his sitdown with Trump, Zelensky is expected to discuss air defenses, the US supply of arms to Ukraine via sale to NATO members, and provision of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles for strikes inside Russia.

The language of strength and justice will inevitably work against Russia as well. We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks.

There must be no alternative but peace and reliably guaranteed security – and it is crucial to protect people from Russian strikes and assaults as soon as possible.

The President also commented on Russia’s six sets of massive drone and missile strikes in October, targeting energy infrastructure and other civilian sites.

Every air defense system for Ukraine matters – it saves lives. Every decision that can strengthen us brings the end of the war closer. Security can be guaranteed if everything we have agreed on, including here in Washington, is implemented.

Putin Gets A Face-to-Face Meeting with Trump

Concerned about the supply of the Tomahawks, with a precision-strike range of 1,600 km (994 miles), Vladimir Putin scrambled for his own session with Trump.

After Putin’s call with Trump on Thursday, the Kremlin confirmed that the two will meet in Hungary’s capital Budapest next week. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will lay the foundation with a phone call.

Trump posted on social media, “President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this ‘inglorious’ war between Russia and Ukraine to an end.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an ally of Putin who has tried to block assistance to Ukraine, said he had spoken by phone with Trump about preparations.

“The planned meeting between the American and Russian presidents is great news for the peace-loving people of the world. We are ready!” he asserted.