U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday urged Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to “make a deal” with Russia, signaling a shift in Washington’s tone on the Ukraine war and dampening Kyiv’s hopes of receiving Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States.
Speaking after their meeting at the White House, Trump said the time had come for both Moscow and Kyiv to halt the fighting and negotiate peace.
“Our discussions were very interesting and cordial,” Trump wrote on social media. “But I told him, as I also told President Putin — it’s time to stop the killing and make a DEAL! They should stop where they are. Let both claim victory, and let history decide.”
Trump’s comments came just a day after agreeing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for a new summit in Budapest, following a lengthy call between the two leaders. The move has raised fresh questions about Trump’s evolving approach to the two-year-old conflict.
While flying to his Florida estate, Trump told reporters that both sides should “stop right now at the battle line,” adding, “Go by the battle line wherever it is — or else it gets too complicated.”
Zelensky Disappointed but Hopeful
Speaking to NBC News, President Zelensky struck a cautious tone, saying Trump had not rejected Ukraine’s weapons request outright.
“It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, he didn’t say ‘yes’ either,” Zelensky said.
He acknowledged that the United States was reluctant to escalate tensions by supplying long-range Tomahawks but insisted that Russia fears the weapons, describing them as a key deterrent.
“We discussed long-range weapons, but we decided not to go into details because the United States does not want escalation,” he added.
Zelensky, who arrived in Washington after weeks of appeals for Tomahawks, had hoped to leverage Trump’s recent frustration with Putin following a failed Alaska summit. Instead, he left empty-handed as Trump focused on brokering a potential diplomatic breakthrough — buoyed by his recent Gaza peace agreement.
Trump Eyes Peace Deal Amid Renewed Contact with Putin
Trump told journalists that he believed Putin “wants to end the war,” adding, “Hopefully, we’ll get the war over without thinking about Tomahawks.”
The American leader has grown increasingly optimistic about ending the conflict, even as diplomatic talks remain frozen.
The Kremlin confirmed that “many questions” still needed to be resolved before the planned Trump–Putin summit, including the composition of each side’s negotiating team. However, Moscow dismissed suggestions that Putin would face travel issues due to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for alleged war crimes.
Hungary, which is hosting the prospective talks, said it would ensure the Russian president’s safe passage and “successful negotiations.”
From Clashes to Caution
Since returning to office, Trump’s stance on Ukraine has shifted dramatically. He has oscillated between criticizing Zelensky — once calling him “a dictator without elections” — and expressing growing frustration with Putin.
In February, tensions peaked when Trump reportedly told Zelensky during a heated Oval Office exchange that the Ukrainian leader “didn’t have the cards” to win the war. Relations have since thawed, with both sides emphasizing dialogue.
Still, Trump has maintained a direct communication channel with Putin, boasting that the two “get along.” His position on sanctions and military aid to Ukraine has repeatedly changed following conversations with the Russian leader.
Russia Claims Gains Amid Shifting Diplomacy
Meanwhile, on Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its forces had captured three villages in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions — underscoring Moscow’s continued push along the eastern front.
Putin launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022, calling it a “special military operation” aimed at preventing NATO’s expansion and “demilitarizing” Ukraine. Russia currently controls about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, much of it devastated by relentless fighting.
As Trump presses for a negotiated settlement, Zelensky remains hopeful — if cautious — that Washington will still stand firmly behind Ukraine’s defense.
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