Ukraine’s Formula for Peace: Fewer Talks, More Weapons

For months, Kyiv slogged through peace talks with Moscow that it never truly believed would work. Still, eager to cater to President Trump’s push for a diplomatic solution, Ukraine sent its diplomats into round after round of meetings with American and Russian counterparts, even as the talks yielded scant results.

Now, with Mr. Trump growing increasingly frustrated with Moscow’s refusal to compromise, let alone agree to a cease-fire, Kyiv sees an opening to push for what it has long sought. It wants fewer talks and more weapons to strike Russia, as well as tougher sanctions, to force Moscow to negotiate an end to the war in earnest.

On Tuesday, a high-level Ukrainian delegation will begin a multiday visit in Washington to discuss deals to buy American weapons designed to hit deep inside Russia and shield Ukraine from air attacks. President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to follow with a White House visit on Friday, possibly to finalize agreements. He has been beating the drum for American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would bolster Kyiv’s ability to conduct long-range strikes.

The Trump administration’s willingness to discuss the delivery and use of such weapons, something the Biden administration flatly refused, marks a shift in Washington’s approach to ending the war, analysts said.