Assessing the Real Advances in Trump’s Ukraine Peace Negotiations

The Trump administration has portrayed recent diplomatic efforts as a series of significant breakthroughs.

Reports suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin was prepared to meet soon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It was also claimed that the Kremlin had agreed to Western security guarantees for Ukraine, reportedly comparable to NATO protection. Additionally, Ukraine was said to be ready to temporarily cede large territories in exchange for ending the conflict.

However, almost a week after the highly publicized U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska, none of these developments have materialized. The challenge of ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains unresolved. Neither a cease-fire nor a peace agreement appears imminent, as Russia continues intense missile and drone attacks on Ukraine and its civilians.

Behind closed doors, both Russia and Ukraine may be exploring concessions they have yet to publicly acknowledge. European leaders are confident they have the attention of the Trump administration following their rare joint visit to the White House on Monday, along with commitments to some form of post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine. President Zelensky emerged from another White House meeting without apparent damage to his standing and expressed cautious optimism about the talks in remarks to reporters on Wednesday.

Despite these developments, the divide between Moscow and Kyiv remains substantial, presenting a stark contrast to the White House’s hopeful timeline for peace. Below is an overview of the principal issues that continue to separate Russia and Ukraine.

Prior to his meeting with President Putin in Alaska, President Trump described a potential peace deal as involving “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both” parties.