Trump says Ukraine settlement may be closer than ever
In short
US President Donald Trump said on 21 October that a settlement of the Ukraine conflict is possibly closer than ever, and that he spoke with Vladimir Putin about it in recent days. The remarks came on the day Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg, and RIA Novosti and Kommersant reported that trilateral talks may resume in the second ten days of November.
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US President Donald Trump said that a resolution of the Ukraine conflict is possibly closer than ever. "I think we are getting closer. Possibly closer than ever," he said, according to RIA Novosti. Kommersant and Vedomosti said he spoke to journalists, and Vedomosti said this was at the White House. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
According to Interfax and Kommersant, Trump said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent days about ending the war with Ukraine. Interfax reported that Trump doubted that critics of his policy understand the situation and said that rash steps should not be taken while a settlement process is under way. Kommersant said he added that he is trying to avoid wrong steps so as not to disrupt the negotiating process. [ 4 , 5 ]
On 21 October Putin met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg. RIA Novosti said the talks lasted almost three hours and that Putin declared readiness to resume trilateral talks on a security system for Moscow and Kyiv in the second ten days of November, with a new round possible in Abu Dhabi. Kommersant said Witkoff had earlier held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo on 20 October, and that Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said the meetings would take place in the second ten days of November, presumably in Abu Dhabi. [ 2 , 5 ]
Vedomosti said Ushakov described the main topic of the St Petersburg talks as the Ukraine settlement and also said the crisis is nearing its end. It said Putin noted that he highly values US efforts, and that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the talks substantive and said all proposals Witkoff brought would be studied and assessed by Putin. [ 7 ]
RIA Novosti added that Trump had earlier expressed displeasure at Kyiv's unreadiness for a peaceful settlement and its unwillingness to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, and had said Ukraine needs a new leader able to reach agreement with Russia. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
Kommersant and Vedomosti set Trump's statement alongside Witkoff's talks with Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin and the planned resumption of trilateral talks. The documents give no details of any agreement, so the statement is Trump's own assessment rather than an announced result.
Key facts
- Trump said: "I think we are getting closer. Possibly closer than ever." [ 2 , 7 ]
- Trump said he spoke with Putin in recent days about ending the war with Ukraine. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Putin met Witkoff in St Petersburg on 21 October; RIA Novosti said the talks lasted almost three hours. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
- Kommersant reported that Witkoff held talks with Zelensky in Oslo on 20 October and with Putin in St Petersburg on 21 October. [ 5 ]
- Putin said he is ready to resume trilateral talks in the second ten days of November; a new round may take place in Abu Dhabi. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the Putin-Witkoff talks substantive and said Putin would study all proposals Witkoff brought. [ 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump said a settlement of the Ukraine conflict is possibly closer than ever. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Trump said he recently discussed ending the war with Putin. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Putin met Witkoff in St Petersburg on 21 October. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
- Trilateral talks are expected to resume in the second ten days of November, possibly in Abu Dhabi. [ 2 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Where and when the trilateral talks will take place. RIA Novosti and Kommersant say the meetings are expected in the second ten days of November, 'possibly' or 'presumably' in Abu Dhabi; no venue or date is confirmed in the documents.
- What proposals Witkoff brought to Moscow. Vedomosti quotes Peskov saying the proposals will be studied, but no document gives their content.
- Ushakov's assessment that the crisis is nearing its end. Only Vedomosti reports it, and the outlet gives no quote.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS and RIA Novosti publish Trump's statement that the conflict is closer to an end than ever. [ 1 , 2 ]
- RBC publishes the statement. [ 3 ]
- Interfax publishes the statement, including Trump's comment on his recent conversation with Putin. [ 4 ]
- Kommersant publishes the statement with details of Witkoff's talks in Oslo and St Petersburg. [ 5 ]
- Vedomosti publishes the statement with Peskov's comment on the Putin-Witkoff talks. [ 7 ]