The Financial Times reported on Thursday’s White‑House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, revealing a heated exchange that turned into a shouting match.
Financial Times Reports Trump‑Zelensky Meeting Tensions
Dodger‑day The Financial Times described the Friday gathering as tense, with leaders shouting and Trump allegedly swearing throughout the discussion. The U.S. president reportedly pushed Zelensky to accept Russia’s conditions for ending the war.
According to the report, Trump insisted Zelensky cede the entire Donbas region to Russia, repeating arguments he had heard from a phone call with Vladimir Putin.
A European official cited by FT said Trump warned Zelensky that failure to agree would lead to his “destruction,” implying that Ukraine’s leader was ultimately losing the conflict.
Putin’s “New Offer” Presented to Trump
The Ukrainian delegation succeeded in persuading Trump to support freezing the current front line, but then the American leader shifted focus to the maps of Ukraine.
Reports suggest that Putin’s proposal involved Ukraine surrendering controlled areas of east Donbas in exchange for limited portions of the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian officials deemed handing over any remaining Donbas territory unacceptable, as it would relinquish land that Russia had not secured since the full‑scale war began in 2022.
Trump’s Latest Position on Ukraine’s Future
Fox Business interviewed Trump on Sunday, during which he indicated that Russia might “retain some territories” captured during the conflict and that Putin could be open to ending the hostilities.
When questioned whether Putin would be willing to negotiate a peace plan without demanding large territorial concessions from Ukraine, Trump agreed, adding that Ukraine has fought with “a lot of land” but will eventually lose.
