‘Russia–Ukraine Peace Deal Very Close,’ Trump Claims After Berlin Talks

New York (The Uttam Hindu): The Russia–Ukraine war, ongoing for more than three years, shows no clear sign of ending despite sustained diplomatic efforts. However, US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that the conflict could soon come to an end. He said Russia and Ukraine are now closer than ever to reaching a peace agreement.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday (US time), Trump said that recent long discussions in Berlin with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have led to a noticeable positive shift. According to him, these talks resulted in meaningful progress toward peace.

Trump’s statement comes after several hours of meetings in Berlin involving the United States, European nations, top NATO leaders, and President Zelenskyy. During these discussions, various possible pathways to end the war were examined in detail. Media reports suggest that several European countries are willing to provide Western security guarantees to Ukraine, although disagreements over territorial control remain the biggest hurdle.

The US President said America is receiving strong support from multiple European countries in this effort. Expressing confidence, he stated, “We will end this war. I believe we are closer now than ever before.” Trump named countries including Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands as key partners actively involved in peace efforts.

Trump also claimed that he has held several conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said all sides acknowledge that a solution is not far away. “We want to save countless lives being lost in this war,” he added.

At the same time, Trump admitted that the biggest challenge is getting both Russia and Ukraine to agree simultaneously on the same terms. “Sometimes Russia is ready for peace and Ukraine steps back, and sometimes Ukraine is ready while Russia is not. We need both on the same page at the same time,” he said.

Notably, ahead of the peace talks, President Zelenskyy had indicated that Ukraine could consider dropping its demand for NATO membership if Western nations provide strong security guarantees. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground remains tense. On Monday night, Russia launched 153 drone attacks on Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said 17 drones reached their targets, while Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces shot down 130 Ukrainian drones.