Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) clarified his stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, stating that Ukraine "could still win it" but adding his doubt to the possibility, emphasising the unpredictable nature of conflict.

Responding to a question referencing his earlier remarks at the United Nations, where he stated that Ukraine "could possibly win the war", Trump said,“Well, they could. They could still win it. I don't think they will, but they could still win it.”

He clarified his earlier remark at the UN, stating that“I never said that they would win it. I said they could win it. Anything can happen. You know, war is a very strange thing.”

Trump's remarks came during his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Oval Office, where both leaders signed a multi-billion dollar agreement on critical minerals and defence cooperation. 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged US President Donald Trump to adopt a tougher stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating he was ready to attend the upcoming summit in Budapest, Hungary.

In an exclusive interview with NBC News, Zelenskyy said Trump needed to exert even greater pressure on Putin than he had during his recent success in securing a ceasefire with Hamas.

"Putin is something similar but stronger than Hamas," Zelenskyy said, adding, "and that's why more pressure" is needed.

He noted the war's larger scale and Russia's position as the world's second-largest army.

Zelenskyy hopedthat this pressure would include the delivery of long-range US Tomahawk missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.

While Trump had raised the possibility of providing Tomahawks to Ukraine, he appeared to temper expectations following his meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House, which came a day after a phone call with Putin.

"It was good that President Trump didn't say 'no', but for today, didn't say 'yes'," Zelenskyy said.

Trump announced that he would meet with Putin in Budapest for a second round of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy, who labelled Putin a "terrorist", nevertheless reiterated his willingness for direct dialogue.

"If we really want to have just and lasting peace, we need both sides of this tragedy," he said. "How can there be some deals without us about us?" Zelenskyy confirmed he had told Trump, "I'm ready," when asked about attending the Budapest summit.

However, no date has been finalised for the summit, which is expected to be held in the Hungarian capital in the coming weeks, Al Jazeera reported.

Trump has continued to push for an end to the war that began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed)

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