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 help towards Russia’s Vladimir Putin as he appears to be like for a fast finish to the warfare in Ukraine, seemingly putting worry 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 warfare — by handing over all the jap territory of Donbas, the epicenter of ongoing combating in Ukraine.
Talking to 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 Pressure One on Sunday. “They need to cease proper now on the battle strains … Go residence, cease killing folks and be achieved.”
Within the assembly with Zelenskyy, Trump additionally warned the Ukrainian chief that Putin had advised him — in a prolonged cellphone name on Thursday during which they agreed to carry in-person talks in Hungary — that Russia would “destroy” Ukraine if it didn’t comply with 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,” in accordance with unnamed folks conversant in the matter cited by the FT.
In a Reality Social publish, Trump described the assembly as “very fascinating, and cordial,” however stated he had “strongly advised” to each leaders that it was time to finish the warfare.
“Let each declare Victory, let Historical past resolve!” he stated within the publish 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 dropping this warfare, and Putin isn’t profitable.” 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 the moment, did not say ‘sure,'” Zelenskyy advised “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker within the interview, which aired Sunday.
He additionally stated he was prepared to affix Putin and Trump’s upcoming summit in Budapest, which may happen within the subsequent few weeks. Whether or not Zelenskyy shall be invited to Hungary stays to be seen, nevertheless.
In addition to declining to offer Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine, which Trump had beforehand mooted in an obvious bid to convey 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 Photos
Is Trump able to stress Putin?
Shut followers of Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy relations worry 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 prepared to exert extra stress on Putin, be it within the type of extra arms transfers to Kyiv, or extra financial restrictions on Russia.
“We maintain dismissing Donald Trump as sort of ‘All people’s Idiot’ as a result of he is so bombastic and says many issues a mile a minute, however he really is being very transactional concerning the relationship,” Nina Khrushcheva, The New Faculty professor of worldwide affairs, advised CNBC “Squawk Field” Friday.
“All people retains pulling him one facet or one other, be it the Russian facet or Ukrainian facet. However he isn’t taking sides, and he is actually enjoying, apparently, each arms.”
She famous that Trump nonetheless desires to win over Putin, however can be preserving him on a “tight leash,” demonstrated by his risk to provide Ukraine extra weapons.
“To date, I feel it’s working. He is not giving both facet what they wished, however he retains going, and ultimately, probably, they could comply with some form of a peace settlement,” she stated.
Michael O’Hanlon, director of international coverage analysis on the Brookings Establishment, advised CNBC that Putin is prone to wait Trump out.
“I feel it will be more practical [for Trump] to mix the army risk with better financial stress, however we’ll see perhaps that comes later,” he famous Friday.
O’Hanlon stated there have been a number of methods the U.S. may ramp up the stress on Moscow, together with one other U.S. support bundle for Ukraine and an even bigger crackdown on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers facilitating shipments of Russian oil to bypass the oil worth cap and sanctions.
“We do not do a lot buying and selling with Russia, however, after all, different international locations do, and I feel it is time to discuss to not simply India, but additionally China a couple of technique whereby they’d think about lowering their interplay, their financial interplay, and also you threaten secondary sanctions if you aren’t getting that sort of assist,” he stated.
“So these are the totally different items. Not all of them must occur at the very same minute, and so they can occur. They are often phased in, however I feel President Trump is somewhat 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].”
