Day 1,335.

Today, as the world digests the outcome of the White House meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, we examine why the lack of progress on Tomahawk missiles caught many observers off guard. We also explore the significance – if any – of Trump’s planned talks with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, widely seen as part of the Kremlin’s strategy to stall for time. Plus, we report on another slow weekend at the front, continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities, and hear from a leading professor on what it would take to achieve a genuine breakthrough in peace negotiations.

Contributors:

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With thanks to Professor Robert Person (Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program). @RTPerson3 on X.

MORE TICKETS JUST RELEASED FOR 'UKRAINE: THE LATEST' LIVE, IN-PERSON:

Join us for an in-person discussion and Q&A at the distinguished Honourable Artillery Company in London on 22nd October starting at 7pm.

Our panel includes General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of UK Joint Forces Command and latterly one of the authors of Britain’s Strategic Defence Review, and Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum at the Chatham House think tank. Tickets are open to everybody and can be purchased at: https://www.squadup.com/events/ukrainelive

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Zelensky offers Trump drones for Tomahawks (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/10/17/zelenksy-meets-trump-white-house-live-updates/

Trump envoy pushes Ukraine to surrender Donetsk to Russia (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/19/trump-envoy-pushes-ukraine-donetsk-russia-war-peace-witkoff/

Pete Hegseth’s tie causes diplomatic spat (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/10/19/pete-hegseth-tie-causes-diplomatic-spat/

Trump tells Ukraine: Accept Putin’s demands ‘or be destroyed’ (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/19/trump-tells-ukraine-accept-putin-demands-or-be-destroyed/

Pete Hegseth’s tie causes diplomatic spat (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/10/19/pete-hegseth-tie-causes-diplomatic-spat/

Ukraine’s most prestigious military units are run like businesses: (The Economist): https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/10/14/ukraines-most-prestigious-military-units-are-run-like-businesses?utm_campaign=shared_article

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Trump tells Ukraine: Accept Putin’s demands ‘or be destroyed’

Ukraine: The Latest

Trump tells Ukraine: Accept Putin’s demands ‘or be destroyed’