"The only way we can do that is through strength," U.S. President Donald Trump said. "If we were weak, they wouldn't even take my phone call. … Zelensky's got to get them together and get it done."

Security experts analyze President Donald Trump's reversal on Ukraine policy as Russia pushes back on his assessment that Ukraine can reclaim all seized territory.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said after meeting Vladimir Putin on Friday that the Russian leader would announce a "very good proposal" for ending the war in Ukraine that he said was broadly backed by the United States.

Vladimir Putin's ally, Dmitry Medvedev, issued a harsh rebuke of Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying on Telegram that the U.S. president has "slipped into an alternate reality" after Trump stated on Tuesday that Ukraine can reclaim all territory lost to Russia, marking a sharp shift from his earlier calls for Kyiv to make concessions.

ANALYSIS: Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine was "in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form" — a notable shift appearing to reflect growing frustration with Russia.

President Trump’s abrupt shift on the war in Ukraine this week came amid fresh frustration at his counterpart Vladimir Putin, and was intended to apply more pressure on Moscow to come to the negotiating table,