Trump urges Zelensky to give up Eastern Donbas to stop Russian-Ukrainian war

Jakarta – US President Donald Trump has put pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to surrender the Eastern Donbass region. In return, peace will take place between Russia and Ukraine. Reported by AFP, Tuesday (21/10/2025), it was conveyed by a senior Ukrainian official. He described the meeting of the two heads of state in Washington, United States, as “tense” negotiations. Scroll to continue content. The source added that negotiations with Trump were “not easy”, and that diplomatic efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine felt like they were “going on” and “going in circles”. Zelensky met Trump at the White House last week, hoping to capitalize on the US leader’s growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reluctance to accept a ceasefire. But he left empty-handed after Trump, who had spoken to Putin a day earlier, rejected his request for long-range Tomahawk missiles and pressured him to make a deal. Asked if Trump was urging Zelensky to withdraw from territory still controlled by Ukraine, one of Putin’s main demands, the Ukrainian official confirmed. “Yes, that’s right,” he added. After his meeting with Zelensky, Trump said on social media that their conversation was “very interesting and friendly, but I told him, as I also strongly advised President Putin, that it’s time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!” Trump promised to end Russia’s three-and-a-half-year invasion within “24 hours” of his inauguration in January, but failed to get any concessions from Putin. His position on the war changed repeatedly after his talks with Putin and Zelensky. (ma/ma)