Russia Makes Major Concession in Ukraine Peace Talks, Trump Says

Ukraine War at a Crossroads? Trump Hints at Breakthrough as Russia Softens Stance

Russia Makes Major Concession in Ukraine Peace Talks, Trump Says

In a surprising twist, Russia has reportedly backed down from its original goal of seizing all of Ukraine—at least, that’s what U.S. President Donald Trump called a "pretty big concession." During a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Thursday, Trump sounded optimistic, hinting that a major breakthrough in peace negotiations could happen within weeks.

When pressed on what exactly Moscow was giving up, Trump’s answer was blunt: "Stopping the war… Stop taking the whole country. Pretty big concession." Simple. Direct. But is it really that straightforward?

Russia has long claimed that ending the war wouldn’t be complicated—if only Ukraine agreed to stay out of NATO, scaled back its military, and accepted the new borders, including Crimea and the four other regions that voted to join Russia. But Ukraine? Not so eager to sign that deal.

Then came the inevitable question: Will Ukraine have to give up land for peace? Trump didn’t say no. "It depends [on] what territory. We’ll do the best we can, but they lost a lot of territory." A grim reality, but one that Kyiv might have to face.

Still, Trump was quick to remind everyone that his administration isn’t letting Russia off the hook. "We’re putting a lot of pressure on them," he said—right after publicly scolding Putin over recent missile strikes. "Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!" he blasted on Truth Social.

Ukraine says those strikes killed 12 and wounded over 100, with Kyiv bearing the worst of it. Russia insists it was only hitting military targets—weapons factories, fuel depots, nothing civilian. But the timing? Awful, according to Trump. "Not necessary, and very bad timing."

Would more sanctions follow if the attacks continue? Trump dodged. "I want to see if we can have a deal. No reason to answer it now, but I won’t be happy." Then, with a hint of warning: "Let me put it that way—things, things will happen."

Meanwhile, over in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov struck a cautiously hopeful tone. "We’re moving in the right direction," he said. "We’re ready to make a deal. But some details still need work."

So, is peace really around the corner? Or just another round of diplomatic chess? One thing’s clear—both sides are talking. But what comes next? That’s the real question.