Trump Claims Ukraine War Deal ‘Very Close’

US President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that an agreement to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is “very close,” though European leaders urged caution as Russian missiles once again struck Kyiv.

Trump, who has repeatedly insisted he could swiftly end the war, showed clear frustration at the lack of a breakthrough.

He maintained that progress had been made, saying the latest proposal marked a significant improvement on an earlier version that heavily favoured Moscow.

A source familiar with the revised text told AFP the updated plan was “significantly better,” though US officials admitted that several “sensitive” issues were still unresolved.

European leaders, however, were far from convinced. French President Emmanuel Macron insisted there was “clearly no Russian willingness” to consider a ceasefire or engage meaningfully with the new plan, which incorporates more of Ukraine’s demands.

Intensive diplomatic efforts have taken place since the weekend, when Ukrainian and American officials met in Geneva to scrutinise Trump’s controversial original 28-point proposal.

Further talks involving US and Russian representatives were held in Abu Dhabi, according to US media, while leaders from 30 Ukraine-supporting nations convened online on Tuesday.

US negotiator Dan Driscoll struck an optimistic tone after meeting Russian delegates, and the White House also reported “tremendous progress,” though it warned that some details still needed resolving.

Donald Trump. Credit: The Times of Israel.

Despite the diplomatic activity, the war continued to rage. Kyiv was rocked by explosions shortly after 1am as waves of Russian missiles and drones targeted the capital, sparking fires in residential buildings and killing seven people, officials confirmed. Thick smoke lit up by Ukrainian air-defence fire rose above the city as residents sheltered in metro stations.

Trump has demanded that Kyiv respond to his proposal by Thursday, the US Thanksgiving holiday. His initial plan — which barred Ukraine from joining NATO and required the surrender of additional territory — caused alarm across Europe.

The revised version offers more concessions to Ukraine, including increasing a proposed cap on future Ukrainian armed forces from 600,000 to 800,000 personnel, according to a source who reviewed the text.

Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said there was now a “common understanding on the core” of the deal with the United States, but stressed that remaining details should be resolved in direct talks between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that “there’s still a long way to go and a tough road ahead.” Russia continues to occupy around 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, and the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives while forcing millions from their homes.

Ukrainian army sergeant Ivan Zadontsev said negotiations were necessary but expressed scepticism, warning that proposals from both the US and the EU “do not serve Ukraine’s national interests.”