Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 18: In a high-profile diplomatic move, US President Donald Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday, just a day after holding a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting comes as Trump intensifies efforts to position himself as a peace broker in the ongoing Ukraine war, following his recent involvement in de-escalating the Gaza conflict.
Describing his meeting with Zelensky as "very interesting and cordial" on Truth Social, Trump reiterated his call for an immediate halt to the fighting. "I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a deal!" he posted. Trump floated the idea that both sides should “stop where they are,” claim victory, and allow history to judge the outcome. “No more shooting, no more death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent,” he wrote.
In public remarks before the meeting, Trump appeared to backtrack on earlier support for supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. “We are going to be talking about Tomahawks, and would much rather have them not need Tomahawks,” he said, adding that the U.S. required the missiles for its own defense. Despite this, Zelensky pressed the issue, noting that while Ukraine had thousands of domestically produced drones, it lacked the long-range firepower that Tomahawks provide. “That’s why we need Tomahawks,” he asserted.
The two leaders also clashed subtly on their perspectives regarding Putin. Trump claimed that the Russian leader “wants to end the war,” while Zelensky countered that “Putin doesn’t want” peace.
Following his Thursday call with Putin, Trump announced plans for an in-person meeting in Budapest and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would lead a delegation to meet Russian officials in preparation. The proposed summit would be the second between Trump and Putin in three months, following their inconclusive Alaska meeting in August, after which Trump had briefly taken a more confrontational tone toward Moscow.
Trump remains adamant that the war could have been avoided had he been in office when it began. “This is a war that would have never started if I were President,” he declared, claiming he has been "played by the best of them" but “came out really well.” He added, “I made eight deals. I'm going to make a ninth.”
Criticism of Trump's stance quickly followed, particularly from Capitol Hill. Representative Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused the President of appeasement, saying, “This isn't Trump bringing peace through strength; this is weakness through appeasement.” Meeks added that Trump had failed to deliver meaningful support to Ukraine at a time when it was most needed.
As the war continues into another winter, Trump’s diplomatic strategy—encouraging both sides to "claim victory" and end the conflict—has drawn mixed reactions, with some hailing it as pragmatic, and others seeing it as a premature concession that risks undermining Ukraine's position.