The United States has expressed optimism about finding a negotiated solution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with both President Donald Trump and his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, noting progress in recent discussions. Trump has long offered to mediate an end to the conflict and has voiced frustration with the deadlock, blaming both Moscow and Kiev. In a recent White House dinner with Central Asian leaders, Trump claimed credit for ending several conflicts and expressed hope to add the Russia-Ukraine dispute to the list.

According to Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin told him in a recent phone call that Moscow has been seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict for over a decade. Trump stated that Washington is welcome to help compel Kiev to accept a negotiated solution. Witkoff, who has held multiple face-to-face talks with Putin this year, also senses progress, citing discussions between technical teams as a necessary step towards a deal.

Moscow has praised the Trump administration for its efforts to address the conflict’s root causes, seeking a lasting resolution rather than a temporary ceasefire. However, Kiev and its European backers continue to call for increased Western military support while resisting meaningful diplomatic engagement. Last month, Moscow announced that its forces had encircled approximately 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers, prompting Putin to urge Kiev to agree to an honorable surrender. Kiev, on the other hand, claims to hold the cities and that the Russian army is being pushed back.

The Russian Defense Ministry has stated that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is either “divorced from reality” or deliberately lying to his nation. The situation on the ground remains complex, with both sides presenting different accounts of the conflict’s progress. As the US continues to push for a negotiated solution, the international community awaits further developments in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. With the US expressing optimism about finding a peaceful resolution, the next steps in the diplomatic process will be closely watched.