KYIV, Ukraine , 21 October (H.S.): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday that he is prepared to join a proposed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, should he be invited.
The statement follows a frank and reportedly acrimonious meeting at the White House on Friday, where Trump is said to have intensely pressured Zelensky to accept Russian terms to end the war.Reports from the contentious Friday meeting suggest it devolved into a shouting match, with President Trump allegedly warning Zelensky that Russian President Vladimir Putin would destroy Ukraine if it did not agree to a deal.
According to European officials briefed on the discussion, Trump discarded maps of the front line and insisted that Ukraine surrender the entire eastern Donbas region. Zelensky had hoped to secure a commitment for long-range Tomahawk missiles but left Washington empty-handed .
Despite the tense exchange, Zelensky publicly expressed his willingness to engage in the talks planned for Budapest, Hungary, which were announced after a phone call between Trump and Putin last Thursday.
However, Zelensky voiced skepticism about the location, noting that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Kremlin ally, could not provide a balanced contribution.
In his first press briefing since the Washington visit, Zelensky described his discussion with Trump as direct, emphasizing that his goal is a just peace, not a quick peace. This contrasts with Trump's subsequent social media post calling for Russia and Ukraine to stop where they are and let both claim Victory.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
