Washington D.C. – President Donald Trump has stated that ending the war in Ukraine is proving more complex than initially anticipated, but signaled that an agreement is nearing completion. His comments come as Kyiv insists on the inclusion of European leaders in ongoing discussions.
Speaking at the White House, President Trump noted “tremendous progress” had been made in the past week regarding a resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He revealed that U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff was dispatched to meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian officials.
“I look forward to meeting with (Volodymyr) Zelensky and Putin soon, when a war-ending agreement is ready or in its final stages,” the President stated. He added, “The original peace plan we crafted has been adjusted with additions from both sides, and only a few points of contention remain.”
President Zelensky has reportedly expressed his willingness to discuss sensitive issues with President Trump concerning a peace agreement with Russia. According to sources, Zelensky indicated Ukraine is prepared to move forward with the United States and Europe towards a framework for a peace deal, urging European leaders to work on a viable framework for deploying a guarantor force in Ukraine.
Oleksandr Pievz, an advisor to the Ukrainian President, stated that Ukraine has improved the document presented at the Geneva negotiations, confirming changes to certain clauses. Pievz added that the United States has listened to Ukrainian proposals, and expressed hope for a ceasefire before the end of the year.
He clarified that the Ukrainian President did not authorize the delegation to discuss the issue of ceding territory, which was included in the American plan. He affirmed that Ukraine will not make decisions that contradict the constitution and will not recognize any occupation.
White House Spokesperson Caroline Leavitt affirmed that significant progress has been made in the past week towards reaching a peace agreement by bringing Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table. Leavitt indicated that some fine details regarding peace in Ukraine must be resolved but are being addressed.
