Trump says Russia-Ukraine peace deal is close and 'might involve all of Europe'

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russia and Ukraine were “very close to settling” the war, and that the agreement he expects could reach well beyond the two countries.

“It’s going to be a big agreement, and it’s going to involve more than Ukraine,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that “it might involve all of Europe.” He went on: “It’s going to be a big, beautiful agreement, and everyone’s going to be thrilled.”

Trump confirmed he had met Kirill Dmitriev, the envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, at the White House, but gave nothing away. “Yeah, I did. I can’t tell you what I discussed, but I’m just telling you, there’s going to be an agreement,” he said.

‘It’s a bloodbath’

Asked whether he believed the war could end, Trump said, “I do.” He put the toll at about 25,000 deaths a month on the two sides together. “It’s a bloodbath, and it has to end,” he said. The figure is his own and has not been confirmed independently.

He also praised the humanitarian work of First Lady Melania Trump, who the White House says helped bring Russian and Ukrainian representatives together on the return of children to their families and wrote to both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Her efforts are credited with helping a local ceasefire in Oleshky that allowed nearly 800 people to be evacuated.

Trump gave no timeline and no detail of what a Europe-wide deal would contain. Kyiv and European capitals have repeatedly said they must have a seat at any talks. India has called for dialogue and diplomacy to end the war since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.