Trump pushes Putin, Zelensky toward talks as Ukraine claims to end Russia's territorial advantage

President Donald Trump is intensifying pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine, publicly stating that both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin desire a resolution.

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We've settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest, but Putin is a difficult character, and this guy's a difficult character.

During a meeting with Zelensky, Trump described both leaders as "difficult characters" but expressed optimism that a positive outcome would occur soon. He suggested Zelensky might meet Putin, though not in Moscow. Zelensky indicated that he and Trump discussed ways to "bring peace closer."

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We've discussed ideas on how to bring peace closer.

In parallel, Zelensky is advocating for enhanced air defenses, urging NATO allies to provide more effective anti-ballistic systems and missiles. He highlighted Ukraine's successful long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which have disrupted Russia's perceived territorial advantage and created a fuel crisis. "We have reached them," Zelensky stated, referring to previously inaccessible Russian rear areas.

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He'll meet, and Zelensky's gonna meet and something's gonna happen that's gonna be positive. I hope it'll happen soon.

Trump also granted Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missiles, a defensive weapon he favors. Ukraine has been seeking additional Patriot interceptors to counter intensified Russian aerial attacks. Zelensky used a speech at the NATO Defense Industry Forum to press for these systems, emphasizing that ballistic missiles represent Russia's "last major advantage."

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It's a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon.