Trump says Ukraine war could end ‘quickly’ as he meets Zelenskyy

US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about ending the conflict in Ukraine during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, suggesting that "flexibility" is key to resolving the situation.

In remarks to reporters, Trump stated, "I think we have a chance of ending the war quickly if flexibility is shown." While he acknowledged that direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian leaders are unlikely, due to the strained relationship between Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump expressed confidence that with US support, Ukraine can achieve a ceasefire.

The two leaders engaged in amicable discussions, marking an improvement in their ties compared to their previous meetings. However, Trump did not commit to providing Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, citing concerns about the potential escalation of the conflict. Instead, Zelenskyy proposed trading mass-produced Ukrainian drones for US missiles, which Trump expressed openness to.

Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine's readiness for diplomacy with Russia and stated that he is confident in his ability to stop the war with US help. The Ukrainian president also sidestepped questions about Ukraine joining NATO, instead focusing on bilateral security guarantees with the US.

Trump described Putin as someone who "wants to make a deal," but noted that the Russian leader has engaged in prolonged diplomacy to buy time and push on with the war. Trump downplayed concerns that Russia may be using tactics like this, saying he is experienced at navigating such situations and believes they can achieve a resolution.

Zelenskyy's visit marked his third trip to Washington since Trump returned to office for a second term, following a testy exchange in February where Trump belittled the Ukrainian president.

lol, like, who wouldn't want to "make a deal" with the most unpredictable guy in the room? Putin's got some serious game face on right now . And I love how Ukraine is just over here being super chill about joining NATO while Trump's trying to play it cool. Like, what's the plan, dude? Meanwhile, Zelenskyy's just trying to get by with a drone trade-in . At least they're having some civil talks this time around. Fingers crossed (not really) that something actually sticks

I'm not sure I totally trust what's going on here . Trump is being pretty optimistic about ending the war in Ukraine, but it seems like he's playing with fire if he thinks flexibility is just gonna magically solve everything . Putin's been prolonging this conflict for ages and there's no reason to think that's just gonna stop now . And what's up with Trump not committing to giving Ukraine the Tomahawk missiles? That seems like a major concession . Can't say I'm confident about Zelenskyy being able to negotiate a real ceasefire without some serious backing from the US .

I'm not sure how much I trust this "flexibility" thing ... Putin and Zelenskyy have been at each other's throats for years. We've seen a lot of back-and-forth on diplomacy, but it's hard to believe that now they're just going to magically find common ground . Trump might be optimistic, but I think we need more than just empty words . What's really going to happen is anyone's guess . Can't wait for Zelenskyy's next trip back to DC to see how that plays out

omg i'm so glad to hear that trump is being optimistic about ending the conflict in ukraine! like, we've been following this situation for ages and it's time for some good news . i think flexibility is key too - maybe they can find a way to make it work without having direct talks between russian and ukrainian leaders? but what about those tomahawk missiles tho?! i feel like we're stuck in this limbo where zelenskyy wants the us help but doesn't want nato involvement . can't they just chill and figure it out already?! gotta keep fingers crossed for ukraine though

[Image of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson making a "smack talk" face, with a bold red font saying "Flexibility is key!"]

[Video of a person trying to make a drone out of cardboard and paper clips, with a comically frustrated expression ]

I'm not sure if we should be reading too much into this whole flexibility thing from Trump . I mean, have you seen the track record of US involvement in Ukraine so far? It's been all over the place . And now he's gonna start giving out missiles and drones like they're candy canes? That doesn't exactly scream stability to me. Russia has been playing a long game here and Trump seems to be buying it hook, line, and sinker . I guess we'll just have to wait and see if this whole flexibility thing actually pays off .

So like Trump thinks that flexibility is key to ending this conflict right? I'm not sure if I buy it. I mean, Putin's been playing hardball for years and it seems like he only wants to talk when he's got everyone on edge. And Zelenskyy's gotta navigate all these diplomatic games while the war continues... it feels like we're just patching up the same old wounds.

lol i dont think we should put all our hopes on trump tho he seems super optimistic but like what about the russians? they're not exactly known for being flexible i mean im glad zelenskyy is trying to keep things calm, but if russia is just going to buy time with diplomacy then idk how much of a change we can expect

omg i cant believe trump just kinda casually mentioned that flexibility is key to ending the conflict in ukraine lol like what even is flexibility in this context tho?? anywayz i think its awesome to see trumps meeting with zelenskyy and all, it shows he actually cares about finding a solution to this war the fact that he was amicable with zelenskyy during their talks is super refreshing. but what really got me excited is when zelenskyy mentioned trading mass-produced ukrainian drones for us missiles like can you even imagine how cool it would be if they actually made that happen??

The US President's meeting with Ukraine's President is kinda good news! I've been saying that Trump has been trying to pivot from being super tough on Russia, and this shows he's open to some flexibility (get it? ) in negotiations. I'm not gonna lie, it's still a pretty tense situation over there, but if the US can help Ukraine find common ground with Russia, that could be a game-changer. And let's be real, Zelenskyy is doing his part by showing willingness to talk and negotiate – we'll see how this all plays out . I'm curious to see what happens next, maybe we'll actually get some progress on ceasefire talks? Fingers crossed!

omg what a joke trumps "flexibility" is just code for him giving up lol he thinks he can just waltz in there with some empty promises and expect zelenskyy to roll over? please, zelenskyy knows trump's game. and btw, where was this flexibility during the entire trump presidency when he was all about bullying everyone on tv?

man I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy actually leads to something concrete . it's been ages since we've had a glimmer of hope in the conflict, so let's keep the positivity vibes going ! I mean, Trump saying flexibility is key is kinda reassuring, and if they can get past their differences, who knows? maybe it'll be a game-changer . also, Ukrainian drones for US missiles? that's not a bad idea . lets see how this all plays out #PeaceInUkraine #FlexibleDiplomacy #USUkraineRelationship

Trump sounds like he's finally starting to get it . All that back and forth with Zelenskyy was just a show, I guess. And yeah, the Tomahawk missiles thing is kinda funny - Ukraine wants 'em but can't have 'em because of some "concerns" about escalating things? Come on, Trump, make up your mind!

I'm not buying it... like at all. Trump is just trying to save face and look good on camera because Zelenskyy's next going to have to deal with whoever comes after him, probably some other politician who's going to screw everything up again. And what's with the "flexibility" nonsense? Just means they're going to keep finding excuses to drag this out as long as possible and let the Ukrainians take one for the team.