Zelensky Describes His Meeting With Trump's Success, Praises Patriot System

President Trump when receiving President Zelensky at the White House 17 October. (Twitter/@ZelenskyyUa)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described his meeting with United States President Donadl Trump last week as a success that resulted in progress in the acquisition of a new air defense system, in contrast to President Trump's report that he had abused him with harsh words at the White House.

In comments made to the media on Sunday, which was initially unofficial but has been allowed to be published on Monday, the Ukrainian leader described President Trump's message at the meeting, which ended with Trump's call for a ceasefire with existing troops, as "positive".

As a result of President Zelensky's visit to Washington, Ukraine is now preparing a contract to purchase 25 Patriot air defense systems, a major increase in its defenses against Russian missile attacks, President Zelensky said.

President Zelensky spoke before media reported President Trump had urged him to give up territory during their meeting, which sources described as more tense than previously disclosed.

"After a few rounds of discussion for more than two hours with (Trump) and his team, his message, in my opinion, was positive: that we stand at the forefront," President Zelensky said.

Ukraine and its allies have long called for an immediate ceasefire with existing troops, while Moscow demanded Ukraine give up more territory before stopping fighting.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Olga Stefanishyna described Friday's meeting as an honest, meaningful and detailed meeting, saying the meeting had laid a solid foundation for future efforts to end the war and reach lasting and fair peace in Ukraine.

"We must not forget that Ukraine was the one attacked," Stefanishyna said in a statement to Reuters, underscoring Kyiv's belief that US leadership, along with other international efforts, would help end the war, which is now entering its third year.

President Zelenskiy did not specify how close Ukraine was to signing the contract for 25 Patriots. However, he said much time on his way was spent discussing the matter, including directly with President Trump.

Although President Zelensky failed to achieve his goal of persuading Washington to provide the Tomahawk cruise missile for Ukraine for long-range attacks within Russian territory, the Ukrainian president said he believed this was because President Trump did not want to take steps that would anger Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly before the planned summit with the Russian president.

President Trump on Monday said the issue of providing weapons to Ukraine sounded easy, but was actually "a little more complicated."

He said the US was continuing to press for an agreement between Ukraine and Russia to end the war it had promised to resolve immediately after taking office 10 months ago.

President Zelensky met with President Trump at the White House on Friday, a day after the US President spoke by telephone with Russian President Vldimir Putin.

Three sources described a tense meeting with US Republican politicians repeatedly using harsh words.

"It's really bad," said one source about the meeting.

"The message is, 'Your country will freeze, and your country will collapse'" if Ukraine does not make a deal with Russia, he added.

President Trump and President Putin plan to meet in Budapest, the Hungarian capital in the near future.