Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described his recent, reportedly tense, encounter with former U.S. President Donald Trump as “positive.” This assessment comes despite Ukraine failing to secure Tomahawk missiles, which Kyiv desperately seeks for its ongoing conflict with Russia.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday (October 20, 2025), in remarks embargoed until Monday morning, Zelenskyy alleged that Trump had backed away from the prospect of providing the long-range missiles after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin just hours before their Friday meeting.
On Friday, Trump publicly urged both Kyiv and Moscow to halt their positions and bring an end to the war.
“In my opinion, he doesn’t want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them,” Zelenskyy stated, offering insight into Trump’s stance.
Zelenskyy further revealed that during their discussions, Trump reiterated Putin’s consistent and maximalist demand: that Ukraine surrender the entirety of its eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The Ukrainian leader expressed deep skepticism regarding a proposal from Putin to exchange certain territories held in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions if Ukraine conceded Donetsk and Luhansk, calling the offer vague and unclear.
Ultimately, Zelenskyy noted that Trump lent his support to freezing the conflict along the existing front line.
“We share President Trump’s positive outlook if it leads to the end of the war,” Zelenskyy affirmed, referencing more than two hours of comprehensive discussions with Trump and his team. Zelenskyy adopted a diplomatic tone despite prior reports suggesting he faced considerable pressure to accept Putin’s terms. This meeting followed a notable Oval Office incident on February 28, where the Ukrainian president was publicly criticized on live television for his perceived lack of gratitude for continued U.S. support.
Later on Monday, Trump commented to reporters that while Ukraine *could* still emerge victorious from the war, he personally doubted they *would*. “I don’t think they will. They could still win it. I never said they would win it,” he remarked. “Anything can happen, you know war is a very strange thing.”
Zelenskyy expressed his hope that an upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin in Hungary—a nation not typically supportive of Ukraine—might pave the way for a peace agreement. Their initial summit during Trump’s current term took place in Alaska back in August.
While Zelenskyy confirmed he had not been invited to this proposed meeting, he indicated he would consider attending if the format of the talks was equitable and fair to Kyiv.
He also subtly criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, stating his disbelief that a prime minister “who blocks Ukraine everywhere can do anything positive for Ukrainians or even provide a balanced contribution.”
Zelenskyy concluded that he believes all parties involved have now “moved closer” to a potential resolution to the war.
“That doesn’t mean it will definitely end, but President Trump has achieved a lot in the Middle East, and riding that wave he wants to end Russia’s war against Ukraine,” he elaborated.
Meanwhile, Ukraine aims to acquire 25 Patriot air defense systems from U.S. manufacturers, planning to finance these purchases using frozen Russian assets and assistance from allies. However, Zelenskyy cautioned that securing all systems would take time due to lengthy production schedules. He mentioned discussing with Trump options to accelerate their procurement, possibly through European partners.
Zelenskyy also highlighted the United States’ interest in bilateral gas initiatives with Ukraine, including the development of a Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in the southern port city of Odesa. Other areas of American interest reportedly include nuclear energy and oil projects within Ukraine.