President Donald Trump isn’t mincing words when it comes to Ukraine’s future. In a Friday night sit-down with Sean Hannity, Trump was asked what guidance he’ll offer Zelenskyy when the two meet. His reply was immediate and sharp: “Make a deal. Gotta make a deal.”

That advice reflects Trump’s view of the cold reality on the ground. “Russia’s a very big power. And they’re \[Ukraine] not,” he said. “They’re great soldiers. But, you know, they also had the best equipment. You know, they had our equipment. And I gave them javelins, if you remember, in my first term.”

Trump’s reminder wasn’t just about past support. In 2017, he broke from Obama-era hesitation and approved lethal aid to Kyiv — including Javelin anti-tank missiles — a decision that dramatically changed Ukraine’s battlefield capabilities. But Trump also made clear that weapons alone won’t decide the outcome.

For months, Trump has been pressing Putin directly. After a two-hour call earlier this year, he announced negotiations would begin. Yet Putin resisted including Kyiv. In response, Trump escalated — rolling out a plan in July to arm Ukraine with offensive weapons while threatening Russia with tariffs and sanctions targeting its key industries. At one point, he even slashed Putin’s deadline from 50 days to just “10 or 12.”

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff spent three hours in Moscow trying to bring Putin to the table, but Russia still wouldn’t commit to trilateral talks with Ukraine. Even so, Friday brought signs of progress. Trump told Hannity that he and Putin have reached common ground on “several points,” though no final agreement has been struck. He vowed to brief NATO leaders and Zelenskyy soon on what was discussed at the Alaska summit.

The message couldn’t be clearer: Trump wants an end to the war, but on terms that reflect global power realities. To Zelenskyy, that means cutting a deal instead of dragging the conflict out indefinitely.

Trump’s approach stands in sharp contrast to years of Beltway foreign policy groupthink. While establishment voices still cling to endless aid and open-ended conflict, Trump is applying the same blunt, transactional style that reshaped trade, NATO spending, and Middle East diplomacy during his first term.

What comes next could be historic. If Zelenskyy takes Trump’s advice, Ukraine could be pushed toward a settlement that reshuffles not only the battlefield, but also NATO’s role in Europe and America’s posture abroad. If not, the costs — in lives, money, and stability — will only climb.

Trump’s blunt advice cuts through the fog: Ukraine’s survival won’t come from wishful thinking. It’ll come from a deal — and whether Zelenskyy is ready to take it.