On October 17, President Zelensky arrived at the White House to discuss U.S. military support for Kyiv, including the possible provision of powerful long-range weapons such as Tomahawk cruise missiles. Zelensky came with high hopes, as Trump had previously expressed anger toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and signaled willingness to step up support for Ukraine.
The meeting took place in the Cabinet Room, formatted as a working lunch. The two leaders sat across from each other, exchanged remarks, answered several questions from the press, and then began a closed-door discussion. However, the atmosphere soon shifted from cordial to confrontational.
According to informed sources, the talks were marked by sharp disagreements, and at moments felt like “a shouting match.” Signs of tension had already emerged the day before, when Trump announced that he had held a “very productive” phone call with Putin and that both leaders had agreed to hold a summit in Hungary. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “I think President Putin wants to make a deal.”
“I believe President Zelensky also wants to end the war—and he should do it now,” Trump added.
The next question from a reporter appeared to catch Zelensky off guard.
“What concessions are you willing to make to end the war with Russia? Is Ukraine prepared to abandon its NATO ambitions? Americans are tired of foreign wars, and as President Trump just said, we also need Tomahawks,” a journalist asked.
“Was that question for me?” Zelensky replied, before saying that the sides needed to sit down and negotiate, beginning with a ceasefire. The Ukrainian leader argued that Russia did not truly want peace and said he would discuss with Trump how to pressure Putin back to the negotiating table.
During the meeting, Trump reportedly “repeated almost word-for-word several of Putin’s talking points,” even though they contradicted his recent statements about Russia being “economically weakened,” according to those familiar with the discussion.
“‘If he wants to, President Putin can wipe you out,’” one source quoted Trump as saying.
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff then joined the conversation, noting that “Russia’s goal is to control the entire Donbass region.” According to another account, the American side seemed to be testing how much the Ukrainian delegation might be willing to concede.
The Donbass—comprising the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk—is among four regions Russia claimed to annex in 2022, though it has not gained full control of either.
“Abandoning Donbass is unacceptable to the Ukrainian people, and Putin knows this very well,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee.
Zelensky, equipped with maps and detailed materials, tried to explain the situation, but Trump appeared uninterested.
“He said things like, ‘No, listen, you can’t take back any of that land… There’s nothing we can do to save you. Ukraine should give diplomacy another chance,’” a source recalled.
At one point, Trump reportedly pushed the battlefield maps aside, showing frustration.
“I don’t even know where this red line is—I’ve never been there,” Trump said.
Zelensky refused to consider surrendering areas not yet under full Russian control. In the end, Trump appeared to yield slightly, saying, “‘Alright, let’s try to end the war along the current frontlines.’”
Trump also told Zelensky “bluntly and directly” that the U.S. could not provide the long-range missiles Ukraine wanted at this time. One American official said Trump came away with the impression that Ukraine was trying to escalate and prolong the conflict. The meeting ended after two and a half hours.
“I think we’re done here. Let’s see what happens next week,” Trump reportedly said, referring to his upcoming summit with Putin.
A European official noted that the October 17 meeting “was not as disastrous” as the heated exchange between the two presidents at the White House earlier this year, but Zelensky still left visibly disappointed.
It remains unclear what caused Trump’s sudden shift in tone, as he had expressed anger toward Putin for weeks over the stalled peace process. Observers believe Trump’s October 16 call with the Russian leader “had a major impact.”
“This meeting was a setback for Ukraine—not terrible, just poorly timed and overhyped,” two Republican foreign policy experts told Politico. They added that some GOP officials who support Ukraine had advised Zelensky to cancel his trip, noting that Washington’s attention was currently focused on the government shutdown and the Middle East crisis.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Zelensky described Trump’s messages as “ambiguous.”
When asked whether he still believed the U.S. would supply Tomahawk missiles, Zelensky gave a strained smile and replied, “I’m being realistic,” adding that Trump’s hesitation merely reflected “America’s current position.”