US President Donald Trump believes the war in Ukraine may be close to a diplomatic solution. He said a potential agreement would not be limited to Kyiv and Moscow, but could involve all of Europe.
Trump confirmed that he hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, at the White House on Thursday. He did not say what was discussed at the meeting, but told reporters he expects a major deal, broader than the issue of Ukraine, which he said would be very good and excite everyone.
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The US president did not meet with Ukrainian representatives, although they were also at the White House for an event hosted by First Lady Melania Trump.
Attention has now shifted to Abu Dhabi, where the first trilateral talks between delegations from the United States, Russia and Ukraine since February are expected to take place next week. The discussions are expected to address the terms for ending the war and security guarantees for Kyiv.
At the same time as the meeting in Washington, US, Ukrainian and European representatives held consultations at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, also took part and described the talks as productive.
According to Kushner, the parties focused on security guarantees for Ukraine and establishing a broader European security system. He said intensive work was under way with all parties on practical solutions that could end the war and lay the foundations for lasting peace.
It remains unclear what exactly the agreement Trump referred to contains. It is also uncertain whether it will include changes to relations between Russia and NATO or new security guarantees for European countries.
The event at the White House, which Dmitriev also attended, also addressed a six-day ceasefire in the city of Oleski, in Ukraine’s Kherson region. It was in effect from October 27 to November 1 to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered and civilians to be evacuated from an area under the control of Russian forces.
Melania Trump said nearly 800 residents were evacuated during the operation. She said she had stepped in to initiate contact with the parties after receiving information about the worsening humanitarian situation in the city.
Dmitriev thanked the US first lady for her contribution and conveyed Vladimir Putin’s gratitude. He said the Russian president had personally issued instructions for the operation.
Ukrainian representatives at the event included David Arakhamia, head of the parliamentary group of Volodymyr Zelensky’s party, and Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubynets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had also praised the ceasefire, saying the several-day pause in fighting had saved hundreds of lives.
Melania Trump expressed hope that the initiative would become a starting point for broader agreements and lasting peace.
At the expected talks in Abu Dhabi, representatives from Washington, Moscow and Kyiv will consider ways to end the conflict. Ukraine’s postwar security and the role of European allies in guaranteeing a potential agreement remain among the key issues.
Trump has yet to provide concrete details about the proposal he mentioned. It remains to be seen whether his optimism will be followed by steps toward an agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
