U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 17, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a shift in assist towards Russia’s Vladimir Putin as he appears to be like for a fast finish to the struggle in Ukraine, doubtless hanging concern into Ukrainian officers.
Trump held a tense assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the White Home on Friday, with the potential provide of U.S. long-range cruise missiles, Tomahawks, on the agenda.
Zelenskyy walked away from the assembly not solely empty-handed, however apparently upbraided by Trump, who stated Ukraine ought to settle for Russia’s phrases for ending the struggle — by handing over your complete japanese territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing preventing in Ukraine.
Chatting with reporters this weekend, Trump stated for Donbas to be “lower the best way it’s.”
“It is lower up proper now, I feel 78% of the land is already taken by Russia,” he stated on Air Power One on Sunday. “They need to cease proper now on the battle traces … Go residence, cease killing individuals and be accomplished.”
Within the assembly with Zelenskyy, Trump additionally warned the Ukrainian chief that Putin had informed him — in a prolonged cellphone name on Thursday through which they agreed to carry in-person talks in Hungary — that Russia would “destroy” Ukraine if it didn’t conform to the demand.
The assembly between Trump and Zelenskyy descended right into a “shouting match,” the Monetary Instances reported, with Trump “cursing on a regular basis,” based on unnamed individuals conversant in the matter cited by the FT.
In a Fact Social submit, Trump described the assembly as “very fascinating, and cordial,” however stated he had “strongly steered” to each leaders that it was time to finish the struggle.
“Let each declare Victory, let Historical past determine!” he stated within the submit Friday.
Zelenskyy placed on a courageous face, telling NBC Information’ “Meet the Press,” in an interview recorded Friday after the assembly with Trump, that “we aren’t shedding this struggle, and Putin will not be successful.” He additionally remained optimistic regardless of leaving the White Home with out the Tomahawk missiles he was coveting.
“It is good that President Trump did not say ‘no,’ however for at present, did not say ‘sure,'” Zelenskyy informed “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker within the interview, which aired Sunday.
He additionally stated he was prepared to hitch Putin and Trump’s upcoming summit in Budapest, which might happen within the subsequent few weeks. Whether or not Zelenskyy shall be invited to Hungary stays to be seen, nonetheless.
In addition to declining to offer Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, which Trump had beforehand mooted in an obvious bid to deliver Russia to the negotiating desk, Trump additionally mused about giving safety ensures to each Kyiv and Moscow, Reuters reported, citing two sources conversant in the talks.
CNBC has contacted the White Home for additional remark and is awaiting a response.
US President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) within the Cupboard Room of the White Home in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2025.
Tom Brenner | Afp | Getty Photographs
Is Trump able to strain Putin?
Shut followers of Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy relations concern the U.S. president is definitely swayed by the veteran Russian chief’s arguments over Ukraine. They are saying Trump doesn’t seem prepared or keen to exert extra strain on Putin, be it within the type of extra arms transfers to Kyiv, or extra financial restrictions on Russia.
“We hold dismissing Donald Trump as form of ‘Everyone’s Idiot’ as a result of he is so bombastic and says many issues a mile a minute, however he truly is being very transactional in regards to the relationship,” Nina Khrushcheva, The New College professor of worldwide affairs, informed CNBC “Squawk Field” Friday.
“Everyone retains pulling him one aspect or one other, be it the Russian aspect or Ukrainian aspect. However he is not taking sides, and he is actually enjoying, apparently, each palms.”
She famous that Trump nonetheless needs to win over Putin, however can be retaining him on a “tight leash,” demonstrated by his menace to provide Ukraine extra weapons.
“To date, I feel it’s working. He isn’t giving both aspect what they wished, however he retains going, and finally, doubtlessly, they could conform to some type of a peace settlement,” she stated.
Michael O’Hanlon, director of overseas coverage analysis on the Brookings Establishment, informed CNBC that Putin is prone to wait Trump out.
“I feel it will be more practical [for Trump] to mix the navy menace with better financial strain, however we’ll see possibly that comes later,” he famous Friday.
O’Hanlon stated there have been a number of methods the U.S. might ramp up the strain on Moscow, together with one other U.S. assist bundle for Ukraine and a much bigger crackdown on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers facilitating shipments of Russian oil to avoid the oil value cap and sanctions.
“We do not do a lot buying and selling with Russia, however, after all, different nations do, and I feel it is time to discuss to not simply India, but in addition China a couple of technique whereby they’d contemplate decreasing their interplay, their financial interplay, and also you threaten secondary sanctions if you do not get that form of assist,” he stated.
“So these are the completely different items. Not all of them need to occur at the very same minute, and so they can occur. They are often phased in, however I feel President Trump is slightly too fixated on simply the Tomahawks, plus his private rapport with Putin, and I do not assume that is going to be sufficient [to stop Russia].”
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