U.S. President Donald Trump has backed away from his earlier suggestion that Ukraine should accept a U.S.-supported peace plan by Thanksgiving, signaling that negotiations with both Kyiv and Moscow remain ongoing.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said the “deadline for me is when it’s over,” indicating a more flexible timeline for the proposed agreement. He added that U.S. negotiators were making progress and that Russia had agreed to certain concessions, though he did not specify what those were.
U.S. Envoys Engage Moscow and Kyiv
Trump confirmed that his envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Moscow next week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Jared Kushner — who previously played a role in brokering the Gaza ceasefire — is also involved in the discussions.
Recent reports claimed that Witkoff coached Russian officials on how to present a ceasefire proposal to Trump, including planning a Trump-Putin call ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House. Trump brushed off these accounts, describing them as typical tactics used during complex negotiations.
Russia’s Position and Ukraine’s Choices
Trump suggested that Russia currently holds the stronger military position and hinted that Ukraine may have to cede some territory in the coming months. He argued that it would be in Kyiv’s interest to pursue a deal now, while security guarantees involving European partners are still being negotiated.
