Ukrainian Official: Trump Pressured Zelensky to Concede Donbas to End the War

The French press agency "AFP" quoted a senior Ukrainian official as saying today, Tuesday, that U.S. President Donald Trump pressured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting held at the White House, aiming to push Kyiv to concede the Donbas region to Russia as part of a potential settlement to end the ongoing war.

According to reports from Reuters and the Financial Times, Trump suggested during the meeting a two-month halt to military operations, followed by a partial Russian withdrawal, and security arrangements that include guarantees for both parties, which the Ukrainian delegation found frustrating and puzzling.

In contrast, Trump later denied that he had asked Zelensky to concede territory, emphasizing that "negotiating borders is extremely difficult," but stressed the need to stop fighting immediately.

These statements come at a time when international pressure is increasing to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict, amid warnings of a new escalation that could threaten European security.