US President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Washington, USA / October 17, 2025 / Collage ZN.UA © EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ / POOL Trump urged a cessation of hostilities along the existing battle lines.
Following their third assembly in Washington, White House Chief Executive Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held opposing viewpoints regarding the future trajectory of the war in Ukraine.
As reported by CNN, the discussions spanned several hours and transpired in a “candid and occasionally tense atmosphere.” Sources knowledgeable about the gathering stated that the US president directly informed Zelensky that Ukraine would not, at this point, be provided with long-range Tomahawk missiles capable of striking targets far inside Russia.
According to one functionary, Trump voiced apprehension that Kyiv “is pursuing escalation” and “a continuation of the strife,” whereas he personally deems it imperative to prevent additional casualties, particularly leading up to a challenging winter period.
Following the conclusion of the discussions, Trump advocated for a truce along the present battle lines on the Truth Social network, underscoring the necessity to halt the bloodshed.
“This stems from the realities of the conflict – excessive devastation and loss of life,” an official quoted the American leader as remarking.
An additional CNN source mentioned that Trump is of the opinion that both parties ought to “reach an understanding” because the circumstances are likely to deteriorate.
After the assembly, Zelensky emphasized on his social media platforms that the outcomes could “genuinely assist in expediting the war’s conclusion.”
As a reminder, during a media briefing subsequent to the meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy indicated his concurrence with the American leader on the matter of ending the war, stating that “we should cease operations at our current positions.”
