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WASHINGTON — President Trump called on Russia and Ukraine to end their three-year, eight-month war at the current battle lines after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday — and the foreign leader agreed that “both sides must stop.”

“Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are,” Trump posted to Truth Social shortly after the sitdown with Zelensky ended and as he traveled to his Mar-a-Lago resort.

“Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent.”


  President Trump said that he believes Vladimir Putin is ready for peace. AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock President Trump said that he believes Vladimir Putin is ready for peace. AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

Zelensky told reporters outside the White House that Ukraine is ready to end the fight. 

“I agree with the president — yes, both sides must stop,” he said. “But between us, it’s about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, because we didn’t begin this war.”

Trump dubbed himself the “mediator president” ahead of his working lunch with Zelensky, telling reporters he hoped Ukraine would not need Tomahawk missiles to end its war with Russia — even as Zelensky floated a deal to supply the US with unmanned aircraft in exchange for weapons.

After the meeting, Zelensky said that the two discussed Tomahawk missiles, but declined to get into details, claiming the US doesn’t want “escalation.”

The US president had acknowledged earlier that “we’re going to be talking about Tomahawks, and we’d much rather have them [Ukraine] not need Tomahawks.”

Trump warmly welcomed Zelensky to the White House for the third time this year one day after agreeing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary in the coming weeks, so long as discussions between high-level negotiators from Washington and Moscow next week go well.


  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he does not believe Putin is ready to end his invasion. AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he does not believe Putin is ready to end his invasion. AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

“I am the mediator president. I am mediating. It’s not an easy situation,” Trump told journalists during a half-hour Q&A session in the White House Cabinet Room.

Zelensky said he would be willing to join in the meeting with Trump and Putin, noting he has been consistently “open” to bilateral and trilateral talks with the Russian dictator.

The US president insisted that he believes Putin “wants to end the war,” but acknowledged that “it’s possible” the autocrat actually is stringing him along to buy time.

“I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well,” Trump said. “So it’s possible, yeah — a little time, it’s all right. But I think that I’m pretty good at this stuff. I think that he wants to make a deal. I made eight of them. I’m going to make a ninth.”


  Trump warmly greeted Zelensky, but indicated he isn’t ready to send him Tomahawk missiles. Xinhua/Shutterstock Trump warmly greeted Zelensky, but indicated he isn’t ready to send him Tomahawk missiles. Xinhua/Shutterstock

Trump added Friday he does not believe Putin will want Zelensky to take part in the upcoming sitdown because they “have tremendous bad blood.”

Still, following a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Trump said he was confident that Putin is prepared to end his nearly four-year invasion — even though similar efforts sputtered last month when Putin balked at a Trump-demanded meeting with Zelensky.

“I think President Putin wants to end the war, or I wouldn’t be talking this way,” Trump said.


  Trump complimented Zelensky’s suit in a cordial meeting, as the Ukrainian leader proposed drone transfers to the US. Getty Images Trump complimented Zelensky’s suit in a cordial meeting, as the Ukrainian leader proposed drone transfers to the US. Getty Images

“I think he wants to end the war. I spoke to him yesterday for two-and-a-half hours. We went through a lot of details. He wants to get it ended. I think that President Zelensky wants to get it ended. Now we have to get it done.”

Moments later, however, Zelensky told Trump gently that “Putin is not really, I think, not ready, but I think I’m confident that with your help, we can stop this war.”

Zelensky asked Trump to push Putin to agree to a cease-fire — something that the US president once fervently pushed but has spoken little about since his summer summit with the Russian leader.


  In their latest discussions, Trump and Zelensky have different points of view as to what Ukraine needs to end the war against Putin. Getty Images In their latest discussions, Trump and Zelensky have different points of view as to what Ukraine needs to end the war against Putin. Getty Images

The Ukrainian leader’s primary ask of Trump Friday was expected to be powerful Tomahawk missiles that would put targets across much of Russia within range of remotely launched attacks from Kyiv’s territory.

Zelensky, meanwhile, volunteered that Ukraine has proposed exchanging its drone technology for American weapons.

Asked for his thoughts,Trump acknowledged that Washington and Kyiv have been discussing such an exchange.

”They make a very good drone,” Trump said of Ukraine.


  The idea of a Putin-Trump tunnel was briefly mentioned at the meeting. Getty Images The idea of a Putin-Trump tunnel was briefly mentioned at the meeting. Getty Images

“Drone warfare has really come to the fore over the last couple of years because of this war. I will say there’s nothing like the jets. You know, we knocked out a lot of drones in Israel.”

In one apparent pivot, Trump indicated he was no longer certain that Ukraine can reclaim “all” of its land currently held by Russian forces, though indicated it could still be possible.

“You never know. You know, war is very interesting. You never know, do you? Just never know with war, war and peace,” he said when a reporter asked about his prior assessment.

Trump wrote in a Sept. 23 Truth Social post that “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”

He had previously said Zelensky should give up at least some territory in any potential peace deal.

Despite Trump and Zelensky publicly differing in their perceptions of Putin and the need to supply more powerful munitions, the meeting was notably cordial.

Trump greeted Zelensky with humor and compliments as they prepared for private discussions, including praising the Ukrainian leader’s wardrobe as he ditched his wartime outfit for a suit in a show of respect.


  Zelensky said he wasn’t happy with the potential proposal as Trump laughed and responded, saying neither leader likes the potential idea. REUTERS Zelensky said he wasn’t happy with the potential proposal as Trump laughed and responded, saying neither leader likes the potential idea. REUTERS

Zelensky “looks beautiful in this jacket, beautiful. I hope people notice,” Trump said as he welcomed his guest.

“It’s a good — it’s actually very stylish. I like it.”

Trump also was good-humored when a journalist asked about a Russian proposal to build a tunnel to Alaska — floated Thursday by Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, who claimed that “a Putin-Trump tunnel connecting the Eurasia and Americas” could be built for under $8 billion.

“I just heard about it — a tunnel from Russia to Alaska. I just heard about that one. That’s an interesting one. We’ll have to think about that,” Trump said.

“But this came up yesterday, a tunnel from Russia to Alaska. That’s an interesting one — what do you think of that, Mr. President? Do you have any ideas? How do you like that idea?”

“I’m not happy with this,” Zelensky replied, to which Trump laughed and responded: “I don’t think you’re going to like it! I don’t think he likes it!”

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