Ukraine had a plan on how to engage with Trump. Then Putin called

President Volodymyr Zelensky, his team and their allies have been working for months to bring US President Donald Trump to Ukraine’s side.

Days before Zelensky arrived in Washington to meet with Trump on October 17, the two leaders spoke by telephone twice, fueling hopes that the visit would bring tangible results. Trump spoke publicly about the transfer of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Then Vladimir Putin called.

The call between the U.S. and Russian presidents effectively derailed the Washington meeting and the expectations surrounding it, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

“(Putin called Trump) because of the Tomahawks,” Zelensky said during a closed-door meeting with journalists attended by the kyiv Independent on October 19.

“In my opinion, (Trump) doesn’t want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them.”

According to Zelensky, some European countries also have Tomahawk missiles and, if the United States gives the green light, they could proceed with their delivery to kyiv.

In a social media post, Trump announced plans to hold another high-level summit with Putin in Budapest, the capital of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s kingdom. Zelensky is skeptical about the venue but remains open to participating in the talks if formally invited.

“Right now we are at the point where the American president is still giving Putin a chance,” Zelensky told reporters.

After a seemingly tense meeting with the Ukrainian president that lasted more than two hours, Trump appears to have changed his mind again.

“They should stop where they are,” Trump wrote after the negotiations.

The Ukrainian president interpreted this call as a “positive message”.

“Provided all parties are on the same page on what that means,” he added.

Putin reportedly reiterated to Trump during the recent call his demands that Ukraine cede Donetsk Oblast – a besieged eastern region, about 70% of which is now occupied by Russia. The Russian president has reportedly indicated that he may cede parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, both partially occupied by Moscow.

However, Zelensky said it was unclear what Russia was actually offering. He added that if Russia managed to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk Oblast, Putin would consider it a “victory in the war.”

Since the Oval Office clash in February, relations between Kyiv and Washington have improved. However, Trump’s soft spot for Moscow, despite his continued bombing of Ukraine, persists, people close to the Ukrainian president told the Kyiv Independent.

“Putin doesn’t want to talk about anything with Ukraine and Zelensky, except big concessions,” said a source close to the president. “He did not agree to a direct meeting with Zelensky.”

“But Putin has to somehow act to keep Trump’s temper away from difficult decisions; that’s his goal. And he’s succeeding.”

Zelensky said there had been “more constructive” engagement with the United States on some issues. Asked if Ukraine was considering changing its approach to Trump, he said Putin, backed by enormous economic resources, treated Russia like “personal property,” adding that he “would not sell Ukraine.”

“Putin wants a total occupation of Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “And he’s using tools just to maintain that uncertainty, so that no sanctions are imposed, so that Trump doesn’t do secondary sanctions.”

A source close to the president said she believed Trump wanted to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“Trump wants to end it, but (for them) it seems cheaper to end it at Ukraine’s expense,” the source added.

No, Russian soldiers in Ukraine are not forced to fight against their will

The misconception that Russian soldiers are being forced to fight against their will in Ukraine is widespread even at the highest levels of the U.S. government. Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump repeatedly lamented the deaths of soldiers on both sides, apparently equating their suffering with the circumstances in which they found themselves in the trenches. “Every day, people die. Young, beautiful soldiers are killed. Young men, like my sons. On both sides. Everywhere