Washington: In a stormy, closed-door assembly on the White Home on Friday, US President Donald Trump informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to just accept Russia’s circumstances and finish the warfare. He warned that if Ukraine refused, President Vladimir Putin would “destroy” the nation. The Monetary Instances reported the explosive trade on Sunday, describing the session as one of many tensest between the 2 leaders because the invasion started.
Trump, as per the report, urged Zelensky handy over your entire japanese Donbas area to Moscow. The dialog grew heated. The US president raised his voice, hurled profanities and at one level flung maps of Ukraine’s entrance strains throughout the desk.
The conflict got here a day after Trump spoke by cellphone with Putin, who requested that Ukraine formally give up Donbas. In return, Putin reportedly promised to offer again elements of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The Russian chief had earlier demanded all of Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in 2024.
“I say go residence, Cease preventing, Cease killing individuals”: Trump on Russia-Ukraine warfare
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#WATCH | When requested if Ukraine may win the Russia-Ukraine warfare, US President Donald Trump says, “Effectively, they may. They might nonetheless win it. I do not assume they may, however they may nonetheless win it. I by no means stated that they’d in it. I stated they may win it. Something can occur.… pic.twitter.com/PaopjDV4kQ
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Quoting sources, the day by day reported that Zelensky ultimately persuaded Trump to again a ceasefire alongside the present battle strains.
The Ukrainian president was in Washington searching for weapons. He needed Tomahawk missiles to maintain preventing. However Trump was focussed on pushing a peace deal. The president stated he needed an answer the place Ukraine wouldn’t want Tomahawks in any respect.
Zelensky tried to strike a deal. He provided hundreds of drones made in Ukraine in trade for the long-range missiles. Trump appeared open to the concept however warned that giving Kyiv such weapons may worsen tensions between Washington and Moscow.
President Trump on Monday clarified his stance on the continuing battle, stating that Ukraine “may nonetheless win it” however including his doubt to the likelihood, emphasising the unpredictable nature of battle.
Responding to a query referencing his earlier remarks on the United Nations, the place he acknowledged that Ukraine “may probably win the warfare”, Trump stated, “Effectively, they may. They might nonetheless win it. I do not assume they may, however they may nonetheless win it.”
He clarified his earlier comment on the United Nations, stating that “I by no means stated that they’d win it. I stated they may win it. Something can occur. , warfare is a really unusual factor.”
Trump’s remarks got here throughout his assembly with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the Oval Workplace, the place each leaders signed a multi-billion greenback settlement on important minerals and defence cooperation.
#WATCH | When requested if Ukraine may win the Russia-Ukraine warfare, US President Donald Trump says, “Effectively, they may. They might nonetheless win it. I do not assume they may, however they may nonetheless win it. I by no means stated that they’d in it. I stated they may win it. Something can occur.… pic.twitter.com/PaopjDV4kQ
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025
Throughout the press session earlier than the assembly, Trump repeated his previous declare that he alone may finish the warfare. “I could make peace between Zelensky and Putin,” he stated, hinting that he would meet each leaders individually throughout a summit in Budapest within the coming weeks. “They don’t like one another in any respect. That’s why I’ll repair this,” he added.
Trump described himself as a mediator. He stated he would maintain a “double assembly” in Budapest, one with Putin, one with Zelensky, however not a joint session.
#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, “…I’ve settled eight wars in eight months. Not unhealthy. I’ve yet another to go. It is Russia – Ukraine and I feel we’ll get there. But it surely’s turned out to be nasty as a result of you’ve two leaders that actually hate one another…We’ve got grow to be a… pic.twitter.com/iyVf3mMeMX
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025
When requested about supplying Tomahawks, he stated, “We construct our personal weapons. We make our personal drones. However Ukraine makes excellent ones too.”
He admitted that long-range arms may escalate the battle however didn’t rule out future discussions.
Trump praised Zelensky’s resilience. “He has been by so much,” he stated.
When requested if Ukraine should hand over land for peace, the US president dodged. “Conflict is difficult. every little thing and nonetheless know nothing,” he stated.
Trump’s place on Ukraine has shifted a number of instances. Earlier than assembly Putin in August, he stated swapping land may be crucial for peace. A month later, he stated Ukraine may reclaim all Russian-held territory.
The fiery White Home assembly laid naked the divisions on the coronary heart of Trump’s strategy, a president urgent for a deal on Moscow’s phrases and a war-weary ally nonetheless pleading for the arms to combat again.
In the meantime, Zelenskyy has urged Trump to undertake a more durable stance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating he was able to attend the upcoming summit in Budapest, Hungary.
In an interview with NBC Information, he stated the US president wanted to exert even larger stress on Putin than he had throughout his current success in securing a ceasefire with Hamas. “Putin is one thing related however stronger than Hamas,” he stated, including, “and that is why extra stress” is required.
He highlighted the warfare’s bigger scale and Russia’s place because the world’s second-largest military.
Zelenskyy hoped that this stress would come with the supply of long-range US Tomahawk missiles able to placing deep into Russia.
Whereas Trump had raised the potential of offering Tomahawks to Ukraine, he appeared to mood expectations following his assembly with Zelenskyy on the White Home, which got here a day after a cellphone name with Putin.
“It was good that President Trump did not say ‘no’, however for at present, did not say ‘sure’,” Zelenskyy stated.
Trump introduced that he would meet with Putin in Budapest for a second spherical of talks geared toward ending the warfare in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy, who labelled Putin a “terrorist”, nonetheless reiterated his willingness for direct dialogue.
“If we actually wish to have simply and lasting peace, we want either side of this tragedy,” he stated. “How can there be some offers with out us about us?” Zelenskyy confirmed he had informed Trump, “I’m prepared,” when requested about attending the Budapest summit.
Nonetheless, no date has been finalised for the summit, which is predicted to be held within the Hungarian capital within the coming weeks, Al Jazeera reported.
Trump has continued to push for an finish to the warfare that started in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.