Trump Denies Pressuring Zelensky to Cede Donbas Amid Tense Talks

US President Donald Trump has rejected reports that he pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to the transfer of all of Donbas to Russia. His denial came after a series of tense meetings and calls involving Trump, Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which have reignited debate over Washington’s stance on the war in Ukraine.

According to Reuters, the October 17 meeting between Trump and Zelensky at the White House took place in a strained atmosphere. Citing three sources familiar with the talks, the agency reported that Trump appeared to push for an arrangement to “freeze the war” along the current front lines. On Air Force One two days later, Trump told reporters that both sides “should stop at the lines where they are,” denying that he had suggested Ukraine hand over all of Donbas to Russia. “Let it be cut the way it is. It’s cut up right now. I think 78 percent of the land is already taken by Russia,” he said, adding that future negotiations could settle unresolved issues.

Sources told Reuters that the conversation left the Ukrainian side disappointed. Zelensky had hoped to secure approval for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, but Trump reportedly avoided committing to the request. According to US Vice President JD Vance, a decision on the missiles has not yet been made. People familiar with the discussion described it as heated, with one source saying it was “pretty bad” and that Trump warned Zelensky his country would “freeze and be destroyed” if he refused to reach a deal. Another source disputed the exact wording but confirmed that Trump used harsh language and profanity during the meeting.

Officials quoted by the Financial Times said Trump’s stance may have been shaped by his recent conversation with Putin. During that call, the Russian leader allegedly proposed a territorial exchange that would give Moscow full control over Donetsk and Luhansk regions in return for small parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Trump reportedly relayed Putin’s warning that Ukraine risked being “destroyed” if it rejected the plan. Ukrainian officials told Reuters that surrendering these territories would leave the rest of the country dangerously exposed and amount to “suicide.”

Among Trump’s team, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff was said to have been the most insistent that Kyiv accept Moscow’s offer, arguing that much of the population in Donetsk and Luhansk is Russian-speaking. American media outlets, including Axios and The Washington Post, have corroborated that Trump urged Zelensky to “stop where they are” and that Putin demanded full control of Donetsk Oblast to end the war, while hinting at limited concessions in other regions. Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out giving up any additional territory still under Ukrainian control.

In a Fox News interview aired on October 19, Trump said Putin had “won certain property” in Ukraine and implied that territorial losses were inevitable in any peace settlement. “He’s going to take something,” Trump said, adding that Russia “has a lot of property” after two years of war. He did not reference Ukraine’s sovereignty or international law, instead comparing the situation to past US military operations. “We’re the only nation that goes in, wins a war, and then leaves,” Trump said, criticizing past American interventions.

Following his meeting with Zelensky, Trump echoed similar sentiments on social media, urging both sides to make a peace deal “with property lines being defined by war and guts.” Zelensky, however, later clarified that Kyiv would not surrender any further territory, insisting, “We will give nothing to the aggressor.” Reports suggest Putin’s current offer marks a slight shift from his earlier demand for full control of Crimea and four occupied regions, though it still requires Ukraine to forfeit land Moscow has failed to capture militarily.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also weighed in, warning that “none of us should put pressure on Zelensky when it comes to territorial concessions.” Writing on X, Tusk said that pressure should instead be directed at Russia, adding that “appeasement was never the path to a just and lasting peace.”

Behind the scenes, sources told the Kyiv Independent that Ukraine had spent months preparing a diplomatic strategy to engage with Trump before Putin’s phone call upended those efforts. The US and Ukrainian presidents had spoken twice in the days leading up to their Washington meeting, raising Kyiv’s hopes for concrete progress. According to Zelensky, Putin called Trump “because of the Tomahawks,” seeking to prevent an escalation before the two leaders met.

After the Putin call, Trump reportedly softened his stance toward Moscow. Zelensky told journalists that Trump “doesn’t want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them.” Trump has since announced plans for another summit with Putin in Budapest, hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. While Zelensky expressed skepticism about the venue, he said he would be open to attending if formally invited.

The Ukrainian president described his meeting with Trump as “tense but constructive,” saying Trump’s call for both sides to “stop where they are” could be viewed positively “if everyone understands what that means.” Still, he acknowledged uncertainty about Russia’s intentions, noting that if Moscow reaches the administrative borders of Donetsk Oblast, Putin would claim “victory in the war.”

Zelensky and his advisers say that despite occasional progress in relations with Washington, Trump’s perceived sympathy toward Putin remains troubling. “Putin doesn’t want to talk about anything with Ukraine except big concessions,” a source close to Zelensky said, adding that the Russian leader is trying to manipulate Trump’s mood to avoid tougher US sanctions.

Zelensky concluded that Putin “treats Russia like personal property” and that he “won’t be selling off Ukraine.” A source in his circle summed up the situation bluntly: “Trump wants to end the war, but it seems cheaper for them to end it at the expense of Ukraine.”

Sources:

• Reuters
• The Kyiv Independent
• Ukrainska Pravda
• RBC-Ukraine