En route back from the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald Trump struck a tone of blunt optimism regarding the war in Ukraine, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that a breakthrough may finally be within reach.
The president’s remarks followed a high-stakes, hour-long meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump suggested that the rigid stances held by both Kyiv and Moscow are beginning to soften under the weight of a staggering human toll.
“It’s not about the money. It’s about 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers a month,” Trump said, pivoting away from the financial costs of the conflict to focus on the casualty rates. He asserted that “everybody is making concessions” to finalize a deal that has eluded diplomats for years.
When pressed on whether Vladimir Putin was truly ready to yield ground, Trump was unequivocal. “He’ll make concessions. Everybody’s making concessions to get it done,” he noted, adding that his primary motivation is saving lives rather than American economic interests.
The diplomatic theater is now shifting from the snowy peaks of Switzerland to the desert of the Middle East. President Zelenskyy confirmed that the first direct, tripartite negotiations between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine are set to begin Friday in the United Arab Emirates.
Zelenskyy, while more cautious than his American counterpart, described their Davos sit-down as “productive and substantive.” He highlighted that daily coordination between U.S. and Ukrainian teams has left the necessary peace documents “even better prepared” than before.
However, the road to a final signature remains fraught. In Moscow, Kremlin officials have continued to insist on the total withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbas—a demand Kyiv has consistently labeled a non-starter.
Despite these public hurdles, Trump’s inner circle, including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have spent the last 48 hours in a whirlwind of shuttle diplomacy. Their late-night meeting with Putin in Moscow on Thursday paved the way for the Abu Dhabi summit.
For Trump, the mission is as much about European security as it is about his own legacy. “I’m doing this more for Europe than for me,” he told the press corps, framing the potential peace as a necessary step to stabilize a continent on edge.
As the delegations arrive in the UAE, the world is watching to see if the “concessions” Trump alluded to are enough to bridge the gap between territorial integrity and a permanent ceasefire.
