WASHINGTON D.C. – In an unusually fraught Oval Office encounter on October 17, 2025, President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and shifted his long-standing stance on the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Rather than insisting on a full Ukrainian territorial recovery, Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept a cease-fire along the current front lines — and concede large swathes of land in the east to Russia.
According to multiple administration sources, Trump emphasized to Zelenskyy that Russia has “won certain property” during the war and proposed that Ukraine freeze the battle-lines now, negotiating future terms later. He reportedly declined to commit to supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, a key demand from Kyiv.
Zelenskyy, who entered the talks hoping to secure enhanced U.S. support to retake lost territory, left the meeting visibly disappointed. He reiterated that Ukraine will not concede land to the aggressor and will pursue full sovereignty restoration. European officials monitoring the meeting expressed concern that Trump’s pivot aligns too closely with Moscow’s demands — particularly given his planned summit with Vladimir Putin in Budapest.
The White House meeting signals a significant shift in U.S. policy toward the war in Ukraine. Trump’s call for a halt to fighting at existing lines appeared to contrast sharply with long-standing U.S. and NATO positions that emphasized Ukraine’s right to reclaim all territory seized by Russia. For Kyiv, the message is clear: future support may hinge on accepting a deeply unpalatable peace deal.
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