Trump predicts wide-reaching Russia-Ukraine agreement after White House talks
The president said a deal could extend beyond Ukraine to all of Europe, following a meeting with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
By Alina Carter ·
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Thursday that a settlement to the war between Russia and Ukraine is imminent, following a private discussion with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev in the Oval Office.
Trump declined to release specific terms of the negotiation but expressed high confidence in the outcome. He stated, "I think we're going to be very close to settling Russia-Ukraine." The president further claimed the eventual accord would be substantial in scope, noting it would involve "more than Ukraine" and could potentially cover "all of Europe."
This latest prediction follows a series of diplomatic moves in recent weeks that have increased the pace of negotiations. Trump confirmed he did not meet with the Ukrainian delegation during Thursday's session. His meeting with Dmitriev occurred immediately after a separate event hosted by First Lady Melania Trump, which gathered senior officials from both nations at the White House.
The gathering by the first lady was designed to commemorate a localized six-day truce in the southern Ukrainian city of Oleshky, which she helped broker in October. That ceasefire, active from October 27 to November 1, facilitated the evacuation of nearly 800 civilians from the Russian-occupied city in Kherson region and allowed the delivery of essential food and medical supplies. Trump did not attend this specific portion of the diplomatic event.
Key figures from both governments participated in the Thursday meeting. In addition to Dmitriev, the attendees included Yana Lantratova, Russia's human rights commissioner, and two Ukrainian officials: David Arakhamia, leader of the Servant of the People party in the Ukrainian parliament, and Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's parliamentary human rights commissioner.
The White House characterized the meeting as the first instance in American history where a first lady personally convened representatives of two warring nations for diplomatic purposes. During her remarks, Melania Trump described the Oleshky truce as "a spark in a world of darkness" and urged the parties to build something "more enduring than a temporary ceasefire."
The session concluded with the exchange of symbolic gifts. Melania Trump handed large white envelopes containing personal letters to Dmitriev and the Ukrainian representatives for delivery to their respective leaders. Dmitriev presented the first lady with a painting by an 11-year-old girl, while the Ukrainian delegation presented her with the Order of Princess Olga, an award recognizing her role in securing the ceasefire.
