Trump signals breakthrough in Russia–Ukraine talks after envoy’s Moscow visit

US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism over the ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, stating that Russia and Ukraine "are very close to a deal."

His remarks came just hours after a high-level meeting in Moscow between his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Describing the day’s developments as a diplomatic breakthrough, Trump told reporters, “It had been a good day of negotiations,” while the Kremlin characterized the talks as “constructive.” Notably, Ukraine was not present at the meeting, raising questions about the structure and inclusivity of the peace process.

Taking to social media, Trump added: “Most of the major points are agreed to,” urging both Russia and Ukraine to engage “at very high levels” to “finish it [the deal] off.”

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a more cautious tone in a video address on April 25, insisting that “real pressure on Russia is needed” for an unconditional ceasefire to be achieved. Speaking earlier, Zelenskyy signaled some flexibility, saying territorial disputes with Moscow could be discussed if Russia first agreed to a "full and unconditional ceasefire."

Reports circulating in both Western and Russian media suggest that under a US-proposed peace framework, Ukraine may be expected to cede substantial portions of territory annexed by Russia—an idea that has been met with strong resistance in Kyiv. In particular, Trump has publicly stated his willingness to support Russia retaining Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014. Zelenskyy has categorically rejected any proposal that would legitimize Russia's claim to Ukrainian land.

As the Witkoff–Putin meeting was underway, Trump, speaking to reporters while en route to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, emphasized the broader strategic context of the negotiations.

"They're meeting with Putin right now, as we speak, and we have a lot of things going on, and I think in the end we're going to end up with a lot of good deals, including tariff deals and trade deals," he said.

The president also cited the staggering human cost of the ongoing conflict, estimating that 5,000 Russians and Ukrainians are dying each week. He reiterated his commitment to ending the war swiftly, stating, “We’re pretty close” to a peace deal.

In a separate post on his Truth Social platform, Trump offered a further positive assessment of the peace talks: “Work on the overall peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly. Success seems to be in the future!” he wrote.

With Moscow currently controlling nearly 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory following its full-scale invasion in 2022, any prospective agreement will likely face significant international scrutiny. Nonetheless, the flurry of high-level diplomatic activity signals a renewed effort—led by the United States—to end one of Europe’s most devastating conflicts in recent history.

By Vafa Guliyeva