U.S. President Donald Trump has said negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are moving forward but warned that several difficult and unresolved issues continue to complicate efforts to reach a final agreement.
Speaking to reporters after recent engagements on the conflict, Trump said discussions with Ukrainian leadership had delivered noticeable progress, describing the talks as closer to a breakthrough than at any previous point. However, he stressed that some matters particularly those touching on territory and long term security remain highly sensitive and unresolved.
“We have made a lot of progress,” Trump said, while noting that negotiators are still grappling with what he described as very thorny issues that must be settled before any deal can be concluded.
The talks involved consultations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with Trump indicating that most elements of a proposed peace framework are already broadly agreed upon. He suggested that if outstanding differences are resolved, a deal could be finalized within weeks rather than months.
Despite the optimism, Trump acknowledged that questions surrounding territorial control particularly in eastern Ukraine remain among the most complex aspects of the negotiations. He said these issues require careful handling to avoid undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty while also ensuring a sustainable end to the fighting.
The discussions come amid continued hostilities on the ground with Russian missile and drone strikes underscoring the fragility of the diplomatic process. Trump said this reality makes it even more urgent to push negotiations forward, while recognising that any agreement would require buy in from Ukraine’s international partners, including European allies.
Trump also referenced recent engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Moscow has expressed interest in post war reconstruction should a peace framework be agreed although Russia’s official stance on ceasefire conditions remains unclear.
Ukrainian officials have maintained that any final settlement must include firm security guarantees and will require approval through Ukraine’s constitutional and parliamentary processes.