A Ukrainian delegation is in the US and had several meetings on Wednesday with senior officials of the Trump administration and influential American congressmen, while President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for a meeting with Donald Trump on Friday in the Oval Office.
The group, which arrived in the US capital earlier this week, is on an intense lobbying mission: they want to increase American pressure on Russia and strengthen bipartisan support for Kiev.
The main goal is to ensure that US aid and sanctions remain firm against Moscow's aggression ahead of the upcoming meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky.
A senior congressional adviser familiar with Wednesday's discussions confirmed to Kyiv Post that the meetings had one purpose: maximizing success ahead of the high-level dialogue on Friday.
Kyiv Post also learned that the bilateral meeting in the Oval Office is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Social media posts by both the Ukrainian delegation and American officials have highlighted Kiev's urgent demands.
Ukraine is requesting advanced, long-range weaponry, robust air defense systems, and a new round of tough sanctions against Moscow. The main message was clear: these tools are a necessary precondition for achieving "peace through strength."
Key commitments of the administration: security and strategy
The diplomatic effort culminated in an essential meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukraine's presidential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, who led the delegation, referred to Rubio as "one of the key architects of American foreign policy," signaling the strategic importance of the meeting.
Yermak, accompanied by key figures including Prime Minister Yulia Svirydenko and the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, emphasized the delegation's focus on the upcoming presidential meeting.
"We exchanged views on what a long-term security architecture should look like - not just for Ukraine, but for all of Europe," wrote Yermak.
The meeting's agenda includes: discussing additional sanctions against Russia, enhancing Ukraine's air defense, strengthening economic ties between the US and Ukraine, and announcing new arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Yermak drew a parallel between the success of Trump's foreign policy and Ukraine's immediate needs. According to him, the leadership of the US President "has made peace in the Middle East possible," adding: "This is the vision the world - and Ukraine in particular - needs today."
Officials also discussed "steps that could compel Russia to end the war," with Yermak praising Rubio as a "strong and principled Secretary of State," emphasizing the importance of the administration's support.
Visit to Capitol Hill
Ukrainian officials also went to Capitol Hill, securing commitments from both Republican and Democratic leadership.
The delegation's first stop was at Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND). He later confirmed that the discussions focused on the upcoming presidential meeting and "the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act and other laws that will put more pressure on Russia to agree to end its aggression in Ukraine."
There was also a comprehensive meeting with the Co-Chairs of the Ukrainian Caucus in Congress.
The message conveyed was clear: "Ukraine needs specific tools to win - long-range weapons to change the battlefield, robust air defense to protect our cities, and urgent support for our energy sector."
Call for victory: missiles, sanctions, and force
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the parliamentary group, presented the moment as a "turning point," emphasizing the need for decisive actions to achieve a total victory against Russian forces.
"Since the beginning of this war, I have gathered my colleagues from all parties and our partners from abroad to ensure that Ukraine has the power to prevail," wrote Fitzpatrick.
The congressman detailed specific requirements: "delivery of long-range missiles, promotion of cooperation in critical minerals, and tightening the financial noose on Putin's regime through the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, which I introduced with Senator Lindsey Graham."
His conclusion was a firm three-part demand: "Deliver the missiles. Impose the sanctions. Ensure peace through strength."
White House nudging Moscow into negotiations with caution
While the Kiev delegation lobbied for more offensive military tools, the Trump administration intensified diplomatic pressure on Moscow.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a stern message at a NATO meeting on Wednesday, warning the Kremlin of possible "costs" if it fails to return to the negotiating table to resolve the war in Ukraine.
The administration's threats coincided with speculation about the type of military aid President Trump is considering offering to Zelensky.
The primary objective of the Ukrainian leader seems to be to persuade Trump to raise the stakes by providing long-range Tomahawk missiles manufactured in the US for deeper strikes against Russia - a request that has long been a hot topic of discussion.
A crucial aspect is that Trump publicly signaled considering supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, a potential major escalation aimed at exerting significant pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Escalation as a leverage for peace
The potential delivery of Tomahawk missiles represents a new powerful tool for Ukraine.
While Kiev has already used long-range drones to inflict considerable damage on Russian oil facilities and infrastructure, US-manufactured cruise missiles could provide greater precision and more devastating impact.
Trump himself seemed to confirm a shift in military thinking, telling reporters on Wednesday that Ukraine wants to "go on the offensive." Trump confirmed that the upcoming discussion with Zelensky will also address reports that Ukraine intends to launch a new military offensive along the front line.
"We will talk about war. They want to go on the offensive," he said, emphasizing that a major decision will need to be made regarding the next move of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
However, he associated this potential escalation with a call for peace, adding: "All we want from President Putin is to stop killing Ukrainians and Russians."
Strategic campaign of attacks
Experts suggest that the "offensive" referred to by Trump signals a strategic territorial campaign rather than a traditional assault.
Yuri Boyechko, CEO of the non-profit organization Hope for Ukraine based in the US, told Kyiv Post that the military reality indicates a "strategic campaign of deep attacks, not a traditional ground assault."
He mentioned that as Western military aid has slowed down, Ukraine increasingly relies on its growing arsenal of long-range missiles and drones.
This new strategy is designed to "maximize economic damage - especially hitting Russian oil refineries and logistics - to put pressure on the Kremlin, rather than attempting a costly breakthrough against fortified fronts."
According to Boyechko, this shift towards a strategic offensive relies on ensuring highly controversial American weapons, such as the Tomahawk.
He concluded that long-range systems would allow Ukraine to significantly expand its economic warfare against Russia.