U.S. president Donald Trump has ignited a global uproar after bluntly calling for the war in Ukraine to be halted immediately — with Russia keeping control of the territory it has already seized. Speaking in what insiders described as an “unfiltered and defiant” conversation with advisers, Trump reportedly declared that Kyiv should “leave it the way it is,” stunning diplomats and infuriating Ukrainian officials who say the remarks legitimize an illegal invasion.
According to individuals familiar with the discussions, Trump made the remarks during a private policy briefing earlier this week. “He said it flat out,” one adviser told The New York Times. “He thinks the fastest way to end the war is to stop fighting and accept the current borders. He said, ‘Why keep fighting for land you’ve already lost?’”
Another source described to The Washington Post how Trump waved his hand dismissively over a map of eastern Ukraine, saying, “This is Russia now — leave it the way it is.” Those words, according to the person in the room, landed like “a diplomatic bombshell.”
“This is Russia now — leave it the way it is.” Trump’s remarks on Ukraine have sparked outrage worldwide. @nytimes
The former president has repeatedly vowed to “end the war in 24 hours” if elected, but these newly reported remarks mark his clearest suggestion yet that Ukraine should accept territorial losses to Russia. One European diplomat told Reuters, “This is not a peace plan. This is surrender dressed up as diplomacy.”
Ukrainian officials reacted furiously after the comments surfaced. A senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Politico that Trump’s statement “amounts to rewarding aggression with territory.” Another official in Kyiv described the proposal as “a gift to the Kremlin wrapped in a peace ribbon.”
“We will not leave it the way it is,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba posted on X. “Russian occupation is not peace. It is terror. It is mass graves, deportations, and destroyed cities.”
“We will not leave it the way it is.” — Ukraine’s foreign minister responds to Trump’s remarks @DmytroKuleba
European leaders privately expressed alarm as well. A senior official in Brussels told Financial Times that Trump’s stance “could fracture Western unity overnight.” Another warned, “This kind of rhetoric doesn’t just weaken Ukraine — it emboldens Moscow.”
Inside the U.S., Trump’s remarks have drawn a wave of criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime supporter of Ukraine aid, told CNN that the statement was “dangerous, naive, and would destabilize Europe for decades.” Representative Adam Schiff said Trump’s words were “a flashing green light for Putin.”
“He’s saying the quiet part out loud,” one national security official told Axios. “This isn’t about diplomacy. It’s about letting Russia keep what it stole.”
Trump’s call to “leave it the way it is” has lawmakers warning of “a green light for Putin.” @CNN
The remarks reportedly came as Trump reviewed intelligence updates and battlefield maps showing Russian occupation across Ukraine’s east and south. According to those in the room, he pointed at areas under Russian control and said, “This is the line. Why keep going?” One official said the tone was “casual — like he was talking about a real estate deal, not a war.”
White House officials declined to comment on the reports but privately expressed concern that Trump’s rhetoric could undermine ongoing U.S. efforts to maintain international support for Ukraine. “This kind of talk can shift the political landscape overnight,” one senior administration figure told Bloomberg.
For Kyiv, the stakes could not be higher. “Every meter of our territory matters,” Zelenskyy said in a previous interview with NBC News. “We fight not just for land — but for people, for our existence.” Those words are now being shared widely again online in direct response to Trump’s “leave it” comment.
Zelenskyy previously said, “Every meter of our territory matters.” Trump’s latest remarks put that in sharp focus. @NBCNews
Russian officials, meanwhile, were quick to seize on the controversy. A Kremlin spokesperson said Moscow “welcomes any realistic proposals that recognize the new territorial realities.” Analysts say such statements are part of a broader strategy to exploit divisions among Western allies. “Putin hears this as validation,” one defense analyst told Al Jazeera. “It’s the kind of language he’s been waiting for.”
On social media, Trump’s words have triggered an avalanche of reaction. Hashtags like #TrumpUkraine, #LeaveIt, and #PutinsDream trended across X within hours. “He’s not talking about peace. He’s talking about capitulation,” one commentator wrote. Another posted, “This isn’t neutrality. This is choosing a side.”
Diplomats warn that even unofficial remarks from Trump can reshape perceptions on the battlefield. “When a major political figure in the U.S. implies the occupied territories are negotiable, it weakens Ukraine’s hand and strengthens Russia’s,” one European diplomat told Reuters.
“It weakens Ukraine’s hand and strengthens Russia’s,” said one EU diplomat of Trump’s remarks. @Reuters
Security analysts say Trump’s stance could have far-reaching consequences. “If Ukraine is pressured into accepting current frontlines, it would set a precedent that military aggression can be rewarded,” one expert told Politico. “It wouldn’t just change Ukraine. It would change the world.”
For now, the international backlash continues to mount, with world leaders privately urging Washington to reaffirm its commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty. As one NATO diplomat put it: “Peace built on surrender isn’t peace. It’s just the beginning of the next war.”