U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Friday, and the outcome has raised concerns among Ukraine's supporters. Reports indicate that during the meeting, Trump and his team echoed Kremlin narratives and pressured Ukraine to concede territory to Russia. This shift in Trump's stance comes after a period where he appeared to support Ukraine more strongly, particularly following a failed peace summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In the weeks leading up to the meeting, Trump had made statements suggesting that Ukraine could successfully reclaim its territory from Russia, calling Russia a "paper tiger" in a post on Truth Social. He pointed to Russia's struggling economy and fuel shortages as signs of weakness. Additionally, Trump hinted at the possibility of supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would allow for significant strikes within Russian territory. This potential move alarmed the Kremlin, which warned that it could escalate tensions further.

Despite the initial optimism from Ukraine's supporters regarding Trump's apparent support, skepticism remained. Many noted that Trump has often failed to act on his threats against Russia and has hindered efforts to limit Russia's military capabilities. The situation became more complicated when Putin requested a phone call with Trump, which took place the day before the meeting with Zelenskyy. During this call, Putin dismissed the idea of a ceasefire and reiterated demands for Ukraine to surrender more land, particularly in the Donbas region, in exchange for peace.

Ukraine has firmly rejected these demands, as the Donbas region contains critical defensive infrastructure that has slowed Russian advances. Surrendering this territory without strong security guarantees from the West would leave Ukraine vulnerable to further aggression.

Despite the tense backdrop, Trump described the meeting with Zelenskyy as "very productive" and announced plans for another summit with Putin in Budapest. This announcement was met with criticism from pro-Ukrainian commentators, who recalled that Budapest was the site of a 1994 agreement in which Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances that ultimately failed.

The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy reportedly deteriorated into a heated exchange, with sources indicating that the two leaders engaged in a shouting match. Trump was said to have used strong language during the discussion, expressing skepticism about Ukraine's ability to withstand Russian aggression. Ultimately, Trump did not agree to provide Ukraine with the much-needed Tomahawk missiles, leaving many in Ukraine concerned about the future of their defense against Russia.