President Trump said only a few “points of disagreement” remain on a possible deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and expressed optimism that a pact is close, despite a new deadly Russian strike.
Even amid peace talks, a barrage of Russian drones and missiles pounded Ukraine overnight, killing seven people and wounding at least 20. Just hours after the attack, Trump told reporters, “I think we’re getting very close to a deal. We’ll find out.”
A U.S. official told CBS News that Ukraine has agreed to a peace deal, though the head of Ukraine’s Security Council wrote that negotiators had reached only “a common understanding on the core terms of the agreement” discussed over the weekend. It remained unclear how the latest understanding differed from the U.S.-authored 28‑point plan that drew bipartisan criticism for requiring large Ukrainian concessions — including ceding territory, shrinking its military, and abandoning NATO ambitions — with senior Democrats urging the president to stop pushing what they called a one‑sided, pro‑Russian settlement.
Critics have also questioned whether the U.S. is applying enough pressure on Russia. A senior Democratic lawmaker told CBS News that he did not think a deal was likely “because Trump’s not putting any pressure on Russia,” and argued pressure must be applied to bring Russia to a more acceptable position.
U.S. shuttle diplomacy continued: Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll met with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi, and Trump directed key negotiator Steve Witkoff to meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow while Driscoll meets with Ukrainian officials. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking in Moscow, said they had not received an updated version of the plan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted any final agreement must include security guarantees to ensure Russia cannot invade again; he said he is “ready to meet with President Trump,” noting there are sensitive points to discuss.
Depending on progress in the talks, Trump suggested Zelenskyy could soon travel to the United States to meet with him. Weijia Jiang reported from the White House.
