Washington, Oct 18 (NationPress) US President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House, just one day after a lengthy two-and-a-half-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following their discussion, Trump expressed his views on Truth Social, describing his encounter with Zelensky as “very interesting and cordial”.

“The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was indeed engaging and friendly, but I urged him, just as I have strongly advised President Putin, that it’s time to cease the violence and negotiate a resolution!” he stated.

Trump further emphasized that both leaders should “halt their positions” and “claim victory.”

“They ought to stop where they are. Let each one declare victory and allow history to determine the outcome! No further shooting, no more loss of life, and no more squandering of vast resources. This conflict would not have erupted had I been in office. Countless lives are lost week after week—enough is enough, return home to your families in peace!”

Before the bilateral meeting, Trump seemed to shift from his previous stance regarding the provision of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, indicating that “he would prefer they not require Tomahawks.”

“We will discuss Tomahawks, but I would much rather see them not needing them. I genuinely wish for the war to conclude,” he remarked.

Trump asserted that the United States requires these missiles for its own defense.

“We need Tomahawks, along with various other resources we have been supplying to Ukraine over the past four years,” he noted.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainian President again pressed Trump for the Tomahawk missiles, which can reach targets up to 2,500 kilometers away, deep within Russian territory.

“Ukraine possesses thousands of our production drones, yet we lack Tomahawks. That’s why we need them,” Zelensky reiterated.

Both leaders shared differing perspectives on Putin’s intentions, with Trump claiming that the Russian leader “desires to end the war,” while Zelensky insisted that “Putin is not interested in ending it.”

Following his conversation with Putin, Trump stated he felt “significant progress was achieved” and disclosed plans to meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary.

He also announced that a high-level advisory team led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio would engage with Russian officials next week to prepare for a second meeting with Putin in three months.

Trump’s widely publicized summit in Alaska in August concluded without a resolution, prompting him to adopt a tougher stance on Russia.

After successfully addressing the Gaza conflict, Trump has redirected his focus back to the war in Ukraine.

When questioned if Putin was simply attempting to stall, Trump acknowledged that he had been “played by the best of them,” yet maintained he still “came out well.”

“I’m quite adept at these negotiations. I believe he wants to reach an agreement. I have made eight deals, and I’m determined to finalize a ninth,” he asserted.

Gregory Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized Trump for not “delivering any support for Ukraine today.”

“This isn’t Trump achieving peace through strength; it resembles weakness through appeasement,” he remarked.