President Donald Trump has scrapped a firm deadline for Ukraine to accept a U.S.-backed peace plan, emphasizing a flexible, outcome-driven approach to end the conflict with Russia. The previous November 27 target date, which coincided with Thanksgiving, has been canceled.
Trump announced the decision to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Florida. He stated that U.S. negotiators are making progress in discussions with both Russia and Ukraine. Russia, he added, has agreed to some unspecified concessions.
The President described his new timeline as open-ended. “The deadline for me is when it’s over,” Trump told journalists. His administration had previously indicated a desire for an agreement as quickly as possible, without setting a hard cutoff.
This shift comes as a reported U.S.-backed peace framework has generated concern that the Trump administration might press Ukraine into a deal heavily favoring Russia.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, is scheduled to travel to Moscow next week to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, who previously helped broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, is also involved in the new diplomatic efforts.
Bloomberg News reported that on October 14, Witkoff held a phone conversation with Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s senior foreign policy advisor. During the call, Witkoff reportedly suggested that the United States and Russia collaborate on a ceasefire plan for Ukraine. He also advised Putin to discuss the matter directly with Trump.
The report indicated Witkoff’s suggestions included arranging a meeting between Trump and Putin before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s planned visit to the White House that same week. He also proposed using the recently concluded Gaza agreement as a template for negotiations.
Asked about the Bloomberg report, Trump said he had not listened to any alleged recording of the conversation. However, he expressed no surprise, stating, “that’s what dealmakers do.”
Trump believes Russia currently holds an advantageous position in the war. He asserted that reaching a peace agreement would ultimately be in Ukraine’s best interest. He suggested that some Ukrainian territory “might be taken by Russia anyway” in the coming months.
The U.S. is also engaged in negotiations with European allies regarding security guarantees for Ukraine.