What was supposed to be a diplomatic discussion between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly turned into a tense confrontation. According to sources cited by the Financial Times, their highly anticipated White House meeting “descended into a shouting match,” with Trump at one point throwing aside a map showing Ukraine’s front lines.
The meeting was expected to focus on Ukraine’s interest in purchasing Tomahawk cruise missiles from the U.S. military weapons that could help Kyiv target Russia’s energy infrastructure and disrupt Moscow’s war economy. However, tensions quickly rose as Trump allegedly warned Zelensky to “make a deal with Putin or risk being destroyed by Russia.”
Reports suggest that prior to this meeting, Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone. During that call, Putin supposedly offered a limited concession: the potential return of parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in exchange for Ukraine withdrawing from certain territories it still holds in Donetsk. Zelensky, however, firmly rejected the idea, saying Ukraine’s position “remains unchanged.”
Finnish geopolitical expert Tuomas Malinen, a professor at the University of Helsinki, reacted to the news on social media, suggesting that Trump and Putin might use their upcoming Budapest summit to discuss removing Zelensky from power altogether.
“It’s interesting to see whether Trump and Putin finally agree on the removal of Zelensky in Budapest. There will be no peace otherwise,” Malinen wrote on X.
On Monday, Zelensky reiterated his belief that the main obstacle to peace is Vladimir Putin, not Ukraine’s stance.
“Trump wants a quick end to the war a victory for all reasonable people,” Zelensky said. “But Putin still wants the total occupation of Ukraine.”
When asked about Ukraine’s prospects, Trump offered a cautious response:
“Anything could happen. War is a very strange thing,” he told reporters.
As the Budapest peace summit approaches, analysts are closely watching whether Trump and Putin’s potential discussions could reshape the balance of power in Eastern Europe or deepen the divide over Ukraine’s future.
trump is in putins pocket for some reason
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