Trump Refuses to Meet Putin or Zelensky Until Ukraine Peace Deal Is Final

President Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he will not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until a final peace deal is reached a bold move that underscores his focus on results, not political theater.

In a message posted ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Trump gave Americans an update on the ongoing negotiations his administration is leading to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to a close. He credited his team with making “tremendous progress,” while reminding the world that the war never would have happened under his leadership.

“Over the past week, my team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the War between Russia and Ukraine (A War that would have NEVER started if I were President!),” Trump said in a statement.

He revealed that his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is in Moscow meeting with Putin, while Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll is leading negotiations with Ukraine. Despite rumors of a Zelensky visit to the U.S., Trump made it clear: he won’t meet either leader until the deal is final or nearly complete.

“I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages,” Trump said.

Trump’s approach is not only deliberate it’s working.

• Ukrainian officials have already agreed to the revised U.S.-backed peace framework, according to Driscoll, who confirmed the breakthrough to ABC News Tuesday morning.

• The plan, originally drafted as a 28-point peace proposal, has been fine-tuned through negotiations between the Trump administration and both nations. Only a handful of minor issues reportedly remain.

• A White House official noted that further U.S.-Russia-Ukraine talks are underway to settle remaining concerns, calling them “delicate, but not insurmountable.”

This is diplomacy Trump-style: no grandstanding, no endless process just real progress toward peace.

Trump also revealed he’s staying closely involved, receiving updates alongside Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

“Thank you for your attention to this very important matter, and let’s all hope that PEACE can be accomplished AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!”

Compare that to the Biden years where billions in taxpayer dollars flowed to a forever war with no clear objective and no exit plan. Under Biden, U.S. diplomacy looked more like damage control than leadership. Under Trump, we’re watching America lead from a position of strength.

The war has cost untold lives and destabilized Europe. Just last month alone, an estimated 25,000 soldiers died in the ongoing conflict. Now, for the first time, a genuine path to peace is within reach and it’s happening under the leadership of a president who puts action before applause.

Americans are right to be proud and the world is watching.

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