ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is no longer insisting on a strict deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a U.S.-supported peace agreement, emphasizing instead that negotiations should move “as soon as possible” toward ending the conflict.
Speaking to reporters while en route to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday, Trump said U.S. mediators are “making progress” in talks with both Kyiv and Moscow and noted that Russia has signaled willingness to offer unspecified concessions. He declined to provide further details.
The administration has faced heightened scrutiny following reports that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff allegedly advised Russian officials on how to present ceasefire proposals to Trump. Asked about the report, Trump said he had not listened to the call in question but dismissed concerns, characterizing such discussions as typical diplomatic maneuvering. “That’s a very standard form of negotiation,” he said, adding that similar outreach would likely be extended to Ukraine as well.
Last week, Trump had publicly floated Thanksgiving as a target for Ukraine to accept a peace framework—a proposal that sparked fears of potential pressure on Kyiv to embrace terms favoring Moscow. The White House has since softened that stance, with Trump underscoring that he wants an agreement “when it’s over,” rather than by a specific date.
Trump confirmed that Witkoff will travel to Moscow next week for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also noted that Jared Kushner, who played a role in recent Gaza ceasefire negotiations, is contributing to the administration’s diplomatic efforts.
The president suggested that Russia currently holds a battlefield advantage and indicated that Ukraine may need to consider difficult compromises. He acknowledged that certain Ukrainian territories “might be gotten by Russia anyway” in the coming months.
Meanwhile, U.S. and European partners continue to discuss potential long-term security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any broader settlement.
