The White House
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is prepared to join a proposed peace summit in Hungary alongside US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — if he receives an invitation.
The two leaders, Trump and Putin, announced last Thursday that they plan to meet in Budapest to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, with the summit potentially taking place within weeks.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Zelensky said, “If it is an invitation in a format where we meet as three or, as it’s called, shuttle diplomacy… then in one format or another, we will agree.”
However, Zelensky’s comments came amid reports that his recent meeting with Trump at the White House had descended into a heated exchange. Media outlets described the discussion as a “shouting match,” with Trump allegedly urging Ukraine to accept Russia’s terms for ending the war.
Zelensky, addressing the media for the first time since the talks, described the encounter as “frank,” adding that his goal remained achieving “a just peace, not a quick peace.”
He also voiced his disapproval of Hungary as a venue for the proposed talks, arguing that Prime Minister Viktor Orban “cannot do anything positive for Ukrainians or even provide a balanced contribution.”
When asked on Friday whether Zelensky would participate in the Budapest summit, Trump said he wanted to make the process “comfortable for everybody,” hinting that the discussions could occur “in threes” or through separate meetings.
Zelensky had reportedly hoped to secure US Tomahawk missiles to target deep within Russia during his visit, but he appeared to leave Washington empty-handed after Trump offered no firm commitment.
According to the *Financial Times*, the meeting was more volatile than previously believed. Sources said Trump warned Zelensky that Putin would “destroy” Ukraine if he refused Moscow’s terms. The report also claimed that Trump dismissed Ukrainian maps showing the front line and insisted Zelensky surrender the entire eastern Donbas region to Russia.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and now controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including most—but not all—of the Donbas region.
Just last month, Trump appeared to shift his stance, saying Kyiv could “win all of Ukraine back in its original form.” He explained that his position had changed “after getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia military and economic situation.”
Previously, Trump had suggested Ukraine might need to cede territory to end the conflict—an outcome Zelensky has steadfastly rejected.
The US president has since pushed NATO allies, as well as China and India, to stop buying Russian oil in an effort to increase economic pressure on Moscow. He also warned of tougher sanctions if Putin failed to make progress toward ending the war, though he has not yet enforced those threats.
Relations between Trump and Zelensky, which had been fraught in the past, appeared to improve earlier this year after a televised Oval Office meeting in February, where Trump and Vice-President JD Vance questioned Zelensky directly.
During his re-election campaign, Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine war “within days.” Yet he has since conceded that resolving the conflict has proven “more challenging than any he has faced” since returning to office.
About the Author
