President Donald Trump urges Ukraine and Russia to “stop where they are” after meeting Zelenskyy at the White House
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL NEW | Oct 18, 2025, 19:59 IST
The Latest: Trump calls for end of Russia-Ukraine war after meeting with Zelenskyy at White House
Image credit : AP
After a two-hour White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump urged Ukraine and Russia to “stop where they are” and end their ongoing war. His remarks suggesting both sides should “let history decide” sparked debate, as they implied acceptance of Russia’s territorial gains. Trump confirmed upcoming peace talks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest amid cautious U.S. aid discussions.
President Donald Trump on Friday called on Ukraine and Russia to “stop where they are” and end their years-long war, following a two hour White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The meeting marked the fifth face-to-face discussion between the two leaders since Trump’s return to office in January. Speaking afterward, Trump said that the fighting had gone on long enough and suggested both nations should ‘let history decide’ the outcome of the conflict.
“Enough blood has been shed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the meeting. “They should stop where they are. Let both claim victory. Let history decide.”
While traveling to Florida later in the evening, the president reiterated his position, telling reporters that both countries should “stop at the battle line” and return to their families a statement widely interpreted as implying that Moscow could retain the territory it has captured since its 2022 invasion.
Trump’s remarks represent another shift in tone on the conflict. Just weeks earlier, he had expressed growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he believed Ukraine could reclaim all of its occupied territories.
However, following a phone call with Putin on Thursday, Trump confirmed plans to meet the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks to discuss potential peace arrangements.
During Friday’s meeting, Trump also appeared hesitant about supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine a request Zelenskyy said could help Kyiv push Russia toward negotiations. Trump said he was “reluctant” to reduce U.S. defense.
“We’d much rather have the war be over, to be honest.”
Zelenskyy acknowledged that Trump had not rejected the idea outright but described the response as open-ended.
“It’s good that President Trump didn’t say no, but for today, didn’t say yes,” the Ukrainian leader told NBC’s Meet the Press, adding that Kyiv “needs Tomahawks” to effectively counter Russia’s advantage in long-range strikes.
The latest developments come amid Trump’s renewed push to mediate a ceasefire. His previous diplomatic efforts, including an August summit in Alaska with Putin and meetings with European allies have yet to yield tangible progress. Moscow has continued its bombardment, showing little interest in direct talks with Ukraine.
Asked Friday if he believed Putin was stalling for time, Trump replied confidently, “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well. I think I’m pretty good at this stuff.” Zelenskyy, meanwhile, reaffirmed that Ukraine’s resistance is not personal animosity but rooted in self-defense. “They attacked us, they are the enemy. It’s not about hatred, it’s about survival,” he said.
As Trump prepares for his meeting with Putin in Hungary, he said it remains “to be determined” whether Zelenskyy will also participate, suggesting a possible double meeting with both leaders to move peace talks forward.
The meeting marked the fifth face-to-face discussion between the two leaders since Trump’s return to office in January. Speaking afterward, Trump said that the fighting had gone on long enough and suggested both nations should ‘let history decide’ the outcome of the conflict.
“Enough blood has been shed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the meeting. “They should stop where they are. Let both claim victory. Let history decide.”
While traveling to Florida later in the evening, the president reiterated his position, telling reporters that both countries should “stop at the battle line” and return to their families a statement widely interpreted as implying that Moscow could retain the territory it has captured since its 2022 invasion.
Trump’s remarks represent another shift in tone on the conflict. Just weeks earlier, he had expressed growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he believed Ukraine could reclaim all of its occupied territories.
However, following a phone call with Putin on Thursday, Trump confirmed plans to meet the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks to discuss potential peace arrangements.
During Friday’s meeting, Trump also appeared hesitant about supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine a request Zelenskyy said could help Kyiv push Russia toward negotiations. Trump said he was “reluctant” to reduce U.S. defense.
“We’d much rather have the war be over, to be honest.”
Zelenskyy acknowledged that Trump had not rejected the idea outright but described the response as open-ended.
“It’s good that President Trump didn’t say no, but for today, didn’t say yes,” the Ukrainian leader told NBC’s Meet the Press, adding that Kyiv “needs Tomahawks” to effectively counter Russia’s advantage in long-range strikes.
The latest developments come amid Trump’s renewed push to mediate a ceasefire. His previous diplomatic efforts, including an August summit in Alaska with Putin and meetings with European allies have yet to yield tangible progress. Moscow has continued its bombardment, showing little interest in direct talks with Ukraine.
Asked Friday if he believed Putin was stalling for time, Trump replied confidently, “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well. I think I’m pretty good at this stuff.” Zelenskyy, meanwhile, reaffirmed that Ukraine’s resistance is not personal animosity but rooted in self-defense. “They attacked us, they are the enemy. It’s not about hatred, it’s about survival,” he said.
As Trump prepares for his meeting with Putin in Hungary, he said it remains “to be determined” whether Zelenskyy will also participate, suggesting a possible double meeting with both leaders to move peace talks forward.