Trump Expresses Doubt About Ukraine's Victory Prospects Ahead of Putin Meeting in Budapest

US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Donald Trump expressed doubts on Monday regarding Ukraine's ability to defeat Russia, despite previously suggesting it was possible. This statement adds further uncertainty about his stance toward Kyiv as he prepares for upcoming face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, aimed at ending the conflict.

"They could still win it. I don't think they will, but they could still win it," Trump stated to reporters during the beginning of a White House meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Trump recently reversed his long-standing position that Ukraine would need to surrender territory, suggesting instead that Ukraine could potentially reclaim all lost territories. However, following extensive communications with Putin last week and a subsequent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump shifted his stance again, urging both Kyiv and Moscow to "stop where they are" and terminate the devastating conflict.

When questioned about these fluctuating opinions regarding Kyiv's position, Trump offered a somber assessment of Ukraine's prospects. He elaborated, "I never said they would win it. I said they could. Anything can happen. You know war is a very strange thing."

Earlier Monday, Zelenskyy revealed that during their White House meeting, Trump informed him that Putin's maximalist demands remained unchanged – specifically that Ukraine must cede the entirety of its eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Nevertheless, Zelenskyy characterized the meeting as "positive," despite Trump declining his request for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

In public statements preceding his meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump had appeared increasingly open to providing Tomahawks, which would enable Ukrainian forces to conduct deeper strikes into Russian territory.

However, the U.S. President's perspective shifted following his recent conversation with Putin, and he clearly indicated reluctance to provide Ukraine with the missile system, at least for now.

"In my opinion, he does not want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them," Zelenskyy told reporters on Sunday, with his comments embargoed until Monday morning.

Zelenskyy also expressed doubt regarding Putin's proposal to exchange certain territories in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in return for Ukraine surrendering Donetsk and Luhansk (collectively known as the Donbas), describing the proposal as ambiguous.

Ukraine's leader indicated that Trump ultimately supported maintaining a freeze along the current front line.

"We share President Trump's positive outlook if it leads to the end of the war," Zelenskyy stated, referencing "many rounds of discussion over more than two hours with him and his team."

Zelenskyy maintained a diplomatic tone regarding his meeting with Trump, despite reports suggesting he faced pressure to accept Putin's demands. This meeting followed a problematic Oval Office encounter on February 28, during which the Ukrainian president was publicly criticized for allegedly insufficient gratitude toward U.S. support.

Zelenskyy expressed hope that Trump's upcoming meeting with Putin in Hungary – a country that has not been supportive of Ukraine – might facilitate a path toward peace.

While indicating he has not received an invitation to attend, Zelenskyy mentioned he would consider participating if the format ensured fairness for Kyiv.

He also criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, stating he does not believe that a prime minister "who blocks Ukraine everywhere can do anything positive for Ukrainians or even provide a balanced contribution."

Zelenskyy suggested that all involved parties have "moved closer" to potentially ending the war.

"That doesn't mean it will definitely end, but President Trump has achieved a lot in the Middle East, and riding that wave he wants to end Russia's war against Ukraine," he added.

Ukraine hopes to acquire 25 Patriot air defense systems from U.S. companies using frozen Russian assets and partner assistance, though Zelenskyy noted procurement would take time due to extended production schedules. He mentioned discussing with Trump potential methods for expediting acquisition, possibly through European partners.

Zelenskyy also revealed that the United States has expressed interest in bilateral gas projects with Ukraine, including constructing an LNG terminal in Odesa. Additional areas of mutual interest include nuclear energy and oil-related initiatives.