Trump Expresses Doubt Ukraine Can Win War as He Prepares to Meet Putin in Hungary

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday voiced skepticism over Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russia, even as he prepares to hold a new round of face-to-face peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary.

Speaking during a White House meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Trump said that while a Ukrainian victory remains possible, he no longer believes it is likely.

“They could still win it. I don’t think they will, but they could still win it,” Trump told reporters.

The remarks mark another shift in Trump’s stance on the conflict. Last month, he reversed his long-held belief that Kyiv should cede territory, suggesting Ukraine could regain all the land it has lost since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

But following a lengthy phone call with Putin and an in-person meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week, Trump appeared to revert once more, urging both sides to “stop where they are” and end the war.

Pressed Monday on his shifting views, Trump said, “I never said they would win it. I said they could. Anything can happen. You know war is a very strange thing.”

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy revealed that Trump had told him Putin’s demand for Ukraine to surrender the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions — which together form the Donbas — remains unchanged.

Still, Zelenskyy described their talks as “positive,” despite Trump’s refusal to supply long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which Kyiv has sought to strike deeper into Russian territory.

“In my opinion, he does not want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them,” Zelenskyy said Sunday, in comments made public Monday.

The Ukrainian leader also expressed skepticism toward a proposal reportedly floated by Moscow, offering to trade some occupied areas in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in exchange for Kyiv’s formal surrender of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Zelenskyy called the offer “unclear” and said Ukraine would not accept any arrangement undermining its sovereignty.

Despite the tensions, Zelenskyy maintained a diplomatic tone, praising Trump’s interest in ending the conflict. “We share President Trump’s positive outlook if it leads to the end of the war,” he said, following what he described as more than two hours of discussion.

The meeting came months after a widely publicized Oval Office exchange in which Trump criticized Zelenskyy for not expressing sufficient gratitude for U.S. aid. This time, however, both leaders emphasized cooperation.

Zelenskyy said he was not invited to the upcoming Budapest meeting between Trump and Putin but would consider attending if the format ensured fairness for Ukraine.

He also questioned the neutrality of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is hosting the talks, saying Orban “blocks Ukraine everywhere” and cannot be an impartial mediator.

Still, Zelenskyy said all sides appear to be “moving closer” to a potential ceasefire. “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 said.

Looking beyond the battlefield, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is seeking to purchase 25 U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems using frozen Russian assets and partner assistance — though production delays mean they will take time to procure.

He added that Washington and Kyiv are exploring cooperation on gas and energy projects, including an LNG terminal in Odesa and new ventures in nuclear and oil sectors.

Trump’s upcoming meeting with Putin in Hungary — a nation known for its pro-Moscow stance — is expected to draw intense scrutiny as global leaders await signals on whether Washington is shifting toward a negotiated end to Europe’s deadliest conflict in decades.