Vladimir Putin’s call to Donald Trump cooled the prospect of Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine just as Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Washington. After the two-and-a-half-hour talk, Trump, who had hinted at supplying the weapons, said the US couldn’t deplete its own stocks and noted Putin opposed the move. Trump then announced plans for a summit with Putin in Budapest, overshadowing his Friday meeting with Zelenskyy. Kremlin and Hungarian officials promoted the idea despite unclear travel logistics, while some Ukrainian officials cast Putin’s outreach as a sign of pressure and US vice-president JD Vance said a settlement needs more work.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.