As the U.S. government shutdown entered its 17th day on October 17, 2025, President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left a tense meeting at the White House. They had very different ideas about how to end the war in Ukraine.
Stressful White House Meeting
According to several sources, the two leaders talked for about 2.5 hours in a way that was “uncomfortable” and “frank.” Zelensky came to Washington looking for long-range Tomahawk missiles that could hit deep into Russian territory. However, he didn’t get a clear promise from the Trump administration.
During what officials called a “direct and honest” conversation, Trump made it clear that Ukraine would not get the long-range missiles it had asked for. The president said he was worried that Ukraine was trying to make the war worse and last longer. Especially with winter coming up.
Trump Calls for an Immediate Ceasefire
Trump called for an end to the war along current battle lines on Truth Social shortly after the meeting ended. “Both sides need to make a deal,” Trump said, saying that things would only get worse if the fighting continued.
When Trump got to West Palm Beach, Florida, he told reporters, “In my opinion, they should stop the war right away.” You go by the battle line, no matter where it is. If not, it’s too hard. You’ll never be able to figure it out. You stop at the line of battle.
The president also said that both sides should “go home, go to their families, and stop the killing.” He said this a few hours after a long phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
Zelensky’s Calm Reaction
Zelensky called the meeting “productive” and said that the results “can really help bring this war closer to an end.” This was even though there were obvious tensions. The Ukrainian leader told reporters outside the White House that he talked to Trump about long-range weapons. However, he wouldn’t say anything else because the U.S. “doesn’t want escalation.”
When asked if he was hopeful about getting Tomahawk missiles, Zelensky said he was “realistic” instead of hopeful. He suggested a possible trade. In this trade, Ukraine would give the U.S. drones made in Ukraine in exchange for Tomahawk cruise missiles made in the U.S.
Zelensky said in response to Trump’s suggestion to freeze the conflict where it is: “We have to stop where we are.” It’s important to stop where we are and then talk. But he made it clear that “nobody can finish this without Ukraine.”
European Support Is Still Strong
The UK government said that after the meeting at the White House, European leaders had a video call with Zelensky. They wanted to reaffirm their “unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.” Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of NATO, was also on the call.
The leaders of Europe all agreed that “the only way to stop the killing for good” was to “a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.” They also promised to keep talking about how to help Ukraine “in the lead up to, and following, a ceasefire.”
The government shutdown crisis is getting worse
The U.S. government was still shut down with no end in sight while high-stakes diplomacy was going on at the White House. While getting ready to go to a $1 million-per-plate fundraising dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump blamed Democrats for the ongoing crisis. He called it a “Democrat shutdown” and a “Schumer shutdown.”
Senate leaders from the GOP are sticking to their guns. They say that Democrats must vote to reopen the government before anything can be done about health care subsidies.
Stress on Air Traffic Control
The shutdown has had a bigger and bigger effect on air travel. Since it started, there have been 150 reports of staffing shortages at Federal Aviation Administration facilities. This is almost five times the number of staffing shortages that were reported in 2024, when there were only 30.
There were 21 staffing problems at Newark Liberty International Airport, making it the airport with the most problems. The Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center had 12 staffing problems. These shortages have caused delays and changes in flight paths to keep the airspace safe.
Big Protests Coming Up
More than 2,500 “No Kings” protests are planned across all 50 states. Millions of Americans are expected to take part. The protests are against what the organizers call Trump’s “authoritarian” agenda. This is about 450 more events than the first round of protests that took place in June.
The Department of Homeland Security has warned that some events could turn violent. However, officials said they didn’t know of any specific and credible threats.
The University Compact Controversy
In another big news story, most of the nine major universities that were asked to sign on to Trump administration demands in exchange for more federal funding have said no. The University of Virginia said on Friday afternoon that it would not be signing on after four other schools turned down the offer. This shows how tense things are between the White House and colleges and universities over academic freedom and campus oversight.
What’s Next
In the next two weeks, Trump and Putin are expected to meet in Budapest, Hungary, to talk about possible peace talks. Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, said that plans for the meeting are “fully underway.”
At the same time, Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Adam Schiff, as well as Republican Senator Rand Paul, are trying to stop the U.S. Armed Forces from being used in Venezuela without congressional approval. They are likely to force a vote on a war powers resolution in the next few weeks.
