Trump and Zelenskyy Meet at the White House, Discuss Paths Toward Ending the War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House half an hour later than planned, but Donald Trump personally greeted him upon arrival, Orda.kz reports.

After exchanging greetings, Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on ending the conflict in the Middle East and expressed hope that, with his involvement, the war in Ukraine could also be brought to an end. Trump, in turn, complimented Zelenskyy on his “stylish suit.”

Before their closed-door meeting, both leaders briefly addressed journalists.

Key points from the open session:

• Zelenskyy offered the United States “thousands” of Ukrainian drones in exchange for Tomahawk cruise missiles, noting that “modern warfare requires a large number of UAVs”
  
• Trump said he was interested in the proposal but emphasized that the U.S. also needed to maintain its own missile reserves
  
• The American president confirmed he would meet with Vladimir Putin in Hungary, describing it as a bilateral summit. Zelenskyy, he said, would be kept in the loop
  
• Trump also stated that India will no longer purchase Russian oil

He expressed confidence that the conflict in Ukraine “could end even before the missiles are transferred to Kyiv,” adding that both sides wanted peace.

Following the talks, Zelenskyy told reporters he had received “positive signals” from Trump but said that the two sides agreed not to discuss long-range weapons, as Washington was wary of escalating the conflict.

He added that the conversation did not touch on sanctions or energy infrastructure strikes, stressing that achieving a ceasefire remained his top priority.

After the meeting, Trump summarized his position on Truth Social, saying he had urged both leaders to halt the fighting and reach a compromise.

He emphasized that the killing and destruction must stop, that both sides could declare success and let history judge, and that continuing the war only meant more deaths and waste. Trump added that the conflict “would never have begun” had he been in office and called on soldiers to “return home in peace to their families.”

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova