Trump demanded conditions from Zelensky for ending the war
U.S. President Donald Trump convinced Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to accept Russia's terms for ending the war during a meeting at the White House on Friday. According to Trump, Russian President Putin threatened to 'destroy' Ukraine if it did not comply.
According to people familiar with the matter, the meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents turned into a 'heated argument' several times, as Trump was 'constantly cursing.'
Trump insisted that Ukraine surrender the entire Donbas region to Putin, discarding the maps of the front lines. This meeting took place against the backdrop of Trump's new push to end Russia's war following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Trump refused Zelensky's request for Tomahawk missiles
Zelensky and his team hoped to receive Tomahawk cruise missiles from Trump, but the U.S. president declined. Meeting participants noted the tense atmosphere of the conversation, which echoed previous conflictual situations.
'Surrendering (Donbas, - ed.) to Russia without a fight is unacceptable for Ukrainian society, and Putin knows this,' said Alexander Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian Parliament's committee on foreign affairs.
After the meeting, Zelensky expressed the need for decisive action from the U.S., Europe, and other countries to end the war.
During the meeting at the White House, Presidents Trump and Zelensky discussed conditions for ending the conflict in Donbas but did not reach a consensus. Trump expressed his intention to help resolve the situation, but his demands caused tension among Ukrainian officials.