Trump claims Russia-Ukraine deal 'very close', calls for 'very high level' talks

Trump claims Russia-Ukraine deal is near, urges high-level talks.

President Donald Trump called for Ukraine and Russia to meet for “very high-level talks,” stating that the two sides were “very close to a deal” to end the bloody three-year war between them. Trump made the statement on his Truth Social site, shortly after arriving in Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral.

His comments followed the visit of his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow earlier that day for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump wrote, “They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!”

Just landed in Rome. A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to finish it off. Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is
Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 25, 2025

The issue of Crimea, a strategically important peninsula on the Black Sea, has been a point of contention since Russia annexed it in 2014, despite international condemnation. Trump’s recent comments, however, underscore his consistent stance that Ukraine should be willing to accept Russia’s control over Crimea as part of a settlement to end the war. “Crimea will stay with Russia,” Trump said in the interview. “And Zelensky understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time. It’s been with them long before Trump came along.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, has consistently maintained that recognizing any Ukrainian territory as Russian is a red line for his country. In response to Trump’s statement, Zelenskyy refrained from commenting directly but reiterated his firm position on the issue, as he has done throughout the war.

Trump’s insistence on pushing Ukraine into negotiations with Russia comes as both sides continue to experience devastating losses. While Trump has accused Zelenskyy of prolonging the war by refusing to negotiate, Western European leaders have pointed the finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of stalling peace talks while trying to expand Russian control over more Ukrainian territory.

As the war drags on, the international community is increasingly divided over the best approach to ending the conflict. Senior U.S. officials have indicated that the administration could soon reconsider its efforts to mediate a settlement, potentially halting crucial military aid to Ukraine if progress isn’t made.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said there was no specific deadline for concluding peace talks but emphasized that he wanted the war to end as soon as possible. “I just want to do it as fast as possible,” Trump said. “Negotiators are pretty close to a deal.”

While in Rome, Trump also mentioned that he could meet with Zelenskyy, though the Ukrainian president was uncertain about attending the funeral in time for talks.

Steve Witkoff’s visit to Moscow on Friday was his second trip this month and the fourth since February. It came amid mounting tensions, including the recent assassination of a senior Russian military officer in a car bomb blast near Moscow. A brief video released by the Kremlin showed Putin and Witkoff greeting each other, with Witkoff asking, “How are you, Mr. President?” to which Putin replied, “Fine, just fine, thank you.” Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, described the meeting as “constructive” and “useful,” noting that further talks were anticipated.

During the meeting, Putin and Witkoff discussed the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, which had been stalled since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed Trump’s optimism, agreeing that negotiations were progressing in the right direction but adding that certain elements of the deal still needed to be fine-tuned.

As diplomatic talks continue, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have persisted. On Friday, a drone strike on an apartment building in Pavlohrad, located in southeastern Ukraine, killed three people and injured 10 others. The attack was part of an ongoing wave of Russian bombardments that has killed dozens of civilians in recent days.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian forces launched 103 Shahed drones at five Ukrainian regions overnight, causing damage to civilian infrastructure but no immediate casualties in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

Zelenskyy also reported that Russian forces had intensified ground assaults, using a missile and drone strike on Kyiv as a diversion to target Ukrainian positions along the front line. These attacks, he said, had escalated during a time when Ukraine was focused on defending against airstrikes.

Despite the ongoing violence, Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine had agreed to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire 44 days ago, but Russia’s attacks had continued unabated. In recent days, Russian forces targeted civilian areas in the city of Sumy, killing over 30 people, including those attending a Palm Sunday service. Other cities, such as Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, have also come under heavy bombardment.

The situation remains uncertain as both sides grapple with the complexities of negotiating a peace deal. While Trump has expressed hope that a settlement can be reached, Russia’s continued aggression complicates the process. Ukraine’s leadership, meanwhile, remains firm in its refusal to concede territory to its aggressor, signalling that any negotiations must address the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

(With inputs from agencies)