Trump denies demanding Ukraine surrender Donbass
US President Donald Trump has denied reports that he pressured Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to surrender the entire Donbass region to Russia, saying instead that hostilities should be frozen along the current front lines.
Donetsk and Lugansk officially joined Russia in 2022 and Moscow has insisted Kiev withdraw its forces from these territories as part of any settlement.
Trump and Zelensky met at the White House last week to discuss the Ukraine conflict as Kiev had sought to obtain long-range Tomahawk missiles from the US. Despite failing to secure the weapons, Zelensky described the talks as “good.”
The Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the meeting, that the session had allegedly devolved into a “shouting match,” with Trump warning Zelensky that Russia could “destroy” Ukraine if it wanted to. He also reportedly tossed aside battlefield maps, and urged the Ukrainian leader to rescind claims to Donbass.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump rejected that account. “We never discussed that,” he insisted when asked if he had pressed Zelensky to accept Putin’s terms.
“We think that what they should do is just stop at the lines where they are,” Trump explained, calling on both sides to “stop right now at the battle lines. Go home, stop killing people and be done.” He also said that “78% of the land is already taken by Russia” in Donbass and suggested they “leave it the way it is right now” pending later talks.
Zelensky has ruled out any territorial concessions to Russia.
In August, Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Ukrainian troops held around 20% of the Donetsk People’s Republic and less than 1% of the Lugansk People’s Republic.
Moscow has said any ceasefire would require Kiev’s withdrawal from all Russian territories and for Western countries to end military support to Ukraine. Russian officials have also voiced skepticism about a truce, saying Kiev would use it to rearm.
Putin has called for Kiev to recognize Russia’s borders, renounce NATO membership, and commit to neutrality.
