Trump Sees Possible Breakthrough in Ukraine War Talks

Washington, Dec 2025 : Expressing cautious optimism that the prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine could be nearing a turning point, US President Donald Trump said negotiations aimed at ending the war were moving closer to a breakthrough following extensive consultations with European leaders and Ukrainian officials in Berlin.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had held “very long and very good talks” with a wide range of European leaders, with the Russia–Ukraine war forming the central theme of the discussions. He described the conversations as coordinated, detailed and constructive.

“We had a very good conversation one hour ago with the European leaders, many of them involving the war with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said. “We had a long discussion, and things are seemingly going well.”

According to Trump, the talks included direct engagement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as leaders from Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Finland, Poland, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. He also confirmed discussions with NATO leadership, underscoring what he described as a unified European and transatlantic approach to ending the conflict.

“We had very long and very good talks and, again, I think things are going along pretty well,” he said, while stopping short of declaring a final agreement.

Trump repeatedly highlighted the enormous human cost of the war, saying the scale of death and destruction should never have been allowed to happen. “It shouldn’t happen. It shouldn’t have happened. Should have never started,” he said, reflecting on the toll the fighting has taken on soldiers and civilians alike.

He cited casualty figures to underline the urgency of a settlement. “When you’re losing 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers, mostly soldiers, other people too from towns and places like Kyiv and various other places throughout Ukraine, it’s pretty bad,” Trump said. “Nobody’s seen anything like it, actually, since World War Two.”

The US President also revealed that he had held multiple conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested that Moscow might now be more open to ending the war than at any previous stage. “We’ve had numerous conversations with President Putin of Russia, and I think we’re closer now than we have ever been,” Trump said.

Emphasising the humanitarian dimension, Trump added, “We want to save a lot of lives,” noting that continued fighting benefits no one and only deepens suffering across the region.

At the same time, Trump warned that progress remained fragile and that mistrust between the two sides continued to pose challenges. “Russia wants to get it ended, and the problem is they’ll want to get it ended and then all of a sudden they won’t,” he said. “And Ukraine will want to get it ended, and all of a sudden they won’t.”

He said the key task for mediators was to bring both sides “on the same page” and maintain momentum toward a durable agreement. “I think that’s working along,” Trump added, suggesting that recent diplomatic efforts were moving in the right direction.

Trump also stressed that European leaders were firmly aligned in their desire to see the war come to an end. “They want to get it ended also,” he said, adding that cooperation with NATO partners remained strong and essential to the process.

Responding to further questions, Trump said he believed President Putin genuinely wanted the conflict to conclude. “I actually think that President Putin wants to see it end,” he said. “I think they’d like to get back to a more normal way of life.”

He also indicated that discussions were underway on future security arrangements to prevent a renewed outbreak of hostilities once fighting stops. “We’re working with Europe on it,” Trump said. “Europe would be a big part of that,” pointing to a shared responsibility for long-term stability in the region.

The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has become the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. It has reshaped global energy markets, disrupted food supply chains, and significantly altered international security dynamics. The United States and its NATO allies have provided substantial military, financial and humanitarian support to Ukraine, while diplomatic efforts to end the war have intensified amid mounting losses on the battlefield.

India, meanwhile, has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict. New Delhi has maintained engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv, stressing respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and has repeatedly urged an immediate cessation of hostilities at international forums, positioning itself as a voice for peace and negotiated settlement.

Team Maverick.