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Source: BBC News
DST News: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is prepared to join former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in proposed peace talks in Hungary, if invited.
The plan for a Trump-Putin summit in Budapest was announced following a phone call between the two leaders, with discussions expected to focus on ending the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Zelensky said he was open to participating “in any format” that could bring progress, including what he described as “shuttle diplomacy.” However, media outlets later reported that his recent meeting with Trump at the White House had been far more contentious than publicly acknowledged.
According to the Financial Times, Trump warned Zelensky that Putin would “destroy” Ukraine unless Kyiv agreed to Moscow’s terms. Reports suggested the US side echoed several Russian arguments during what was described as a tense exchange. Trump allegedly dismissed maps showing the Ukrainian front line and insisted Zelensky should cede the eastern Donbas region to Russia.
Shortly after the meeting, Trump posted on social media that Russia and Ukraine should “stop where they are,” allowing both sides to “claim victory” and letting “history decide.” Zelensky responded that he was ready for an immediate ceasefire but stressed Ukraine “will not give anything to the aggressor.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia’s stance remained “unchanged,” continuing to demand Ukrainian withdrawal from four occupied regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson — as well as other conditions Kyiv deems unacceptable.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Moscow has held about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.
Ukrainian analyst Mykola Davyduik said Kyiv “did not get what it wanted” from the Trump-Zelensky talks, citing reports of pressure and veiled threats. Yet, he suggested Trump may be trying to play mediator rather than fully aligning with Putin.
Former Ukrainian intelligence official Ivan Stupak, however, dismissed reports of hostility, calling the meeting “neutral” and saying disagreements between allies are not unusual.
Trump’s stance on Ukraine has shifted several times. Last month, he said Ukraine could “win back all its territory,” though he later cast doubt on that possibility, saying “war is unpredictable.” While he previously indicated Ukraine might have to surrender land, Zelensky has firmly rejected any such outcome.
The US has been urging NATO allies, China, and India to cut Russian oil imports and has threatened further sanctions on Moscow.
Zelensky described his meeting with Trump as “frank,” saying his goal was a “just peace, not a quick peace.” He criticized Hungary as a venue for the proposed summit, arguing that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán — seen by Kyiv and much of Europe as pro-Kremlin — could not offer a fair contribution.
Asked whether Zelensky would take part in the Budapest meeting, Trump said he wanted to “make it comfortable for everybody,” adding that the three leaders “have to get together,” even if separately at first.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held what Moscow called a “constructive” phone call about summit preparations.
Zelensky had hoped to secure long-range US Tomahawk missiles during his visit but left Washington without a clear commitment, as Trump remained noncommittal on the request.
