During a recent meeting in Washington, US President Donald Trump reportedly pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider relinquishing the eastern Donbas region in exchange for peace, according to a senior Ukrainian official speaking to AFP. The discussions, described as “tense” and “not easy,” highlighted the ongoing challenges in diplomatic efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which the source said felt like they were “dragged out” and “going in circles.” When questioned about whether Trump had suggested Zelenskyy withdraw from Ukrainian-controlled land, a key demand of Putin, the Ukrainian official confirmed the claim to AFP, stating, “Yes, that’s true.” Following the meeting, Trump took to social media to describe the talks as “very interesting, and cordial,” adding that he had advised both Zelenskyy and Putin that “it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!” Despite Trump’s promise to end Russia’s three-and-a-half-year invasion within “24 hours” of his inauguration in January, he has yet to secure any concessions from Putin. His stance on the conflict has shifted multiple times following discussions with both leaders in conflict.European officials briefed on the meeting added that Trump appeared to echo many of Putin’s talking points almost word for word, even when they conflicted with his own recent comments about Russia’s vulnerabilities. According to a European official familiar with the discussion, Trump told Zelenskyy that Putin described the conflict as a “special operation, not even a war,” and warned that Ukraine needed to strike a deal or risk annihilation. The official added that Trump also told Zelenskyy he was losing the war, cautioning: “If [Putin] wants it, he will destroy you.” At one point, the official said, the US president even tossed Ukraine’s battlefield maps aside.Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House last week was aimed at leveraging Trump’s increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s resistance to a ceasefire. However, the Ukrainian leader left without securing any commitments, as Trump, who had spoken with Putin the previous day, declined Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles and instead pressured him to consider a territorial concession.
