A Look Back at Trump's Efforts to End the Russia–Ukraine War in 2025

Since returning to the office at the beginning of the year, President Trump has been working to end the Ukraine war and the US has been making progress in peace negotiations. But this week, the peace process just took another hit. Today on New Year's Eve, entities international correspondent Arian Pazdar takes a look back at Trump's 2025 peace efforts. >> Soldiers are being killed on a daily basis at numbers that we haven't seen in decades. and it would be nice to end that war. It's a ridiculous war. >> During his first week in office, President Trump doubled down on a campaign promise to end the fighting in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin initially signaled openness to negotiation, saying he had a good relation with Trump. In January, Putin said, "We always had a business-like, pragmatic, but also trusting relationship with the current US president." Trump also maintained contact with the Ukrainian side. On February 28th, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zilinski traveled to Washington to meet with Trump. The goal of the talks was to finalize a minerals deal. Trump wanted to use Ukraine's minerals as a financial guarantee for the aid the US is sending Ukraine, but the meeting between the two escalated. >> You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now with us. You start having cards right now. You don't you're playing cards. You're playing cards. You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War II. After that meeting, talks between the US and Ukraine slowed down for a bit, but later picked up again. >> Then in midappril, Ukraine said Russian strikes killed 35 civilians in the Ukrainian city of Sunumi on Palm Sunday. Around the same time, Trump suggested that his peace efforts were not making any progress, adding that the US might stop trying to work out a peace deal if the situation didn't improve. >> Now, if for some reason uh one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people, and we're going to just take a pass. But hopefully uh we won't have to do that. But peace talks picked up momentum again as the year progressed. In August, President Trump held separate meetings with the leaders of both Russia and Ukraine. US fighter jets flew above the president shortly after Putin landed in Alaska. A move many interpreted as a show of strength from the American side. >> We had some good meetings over the years, right? Good, productive meetings over the years. and we hope to have that in the future, but let's do. >> And just 3 days later, Zalinski visited Trump in Washington again. It was his first visit after the meeting in February when tensions were high. >> President Zilinski, you look fabulous in that suit. >> I said, you look good. >> I said the same thing. >> Trump assured Zilinski of continued support, but the president said the American taxpayers shouldn't have to bear the cost. In September, the US started selling weapons to NATO allies who then sent them to Ukraine instead of the US directly donating them to Ukraine. Now, just on Sunday, Trump and Zilinski met again with Zilinski saying the US and Ukraine agreed on most parts of a possible peace deal. >> We have a great achievements 20 point peace plan 90% agreed and US Ukraine security guarantees 100% agreed. US Europe Ukraine security guarantees almost agreed. military dimension 100% agreed. >> But shortly after, Russia said its position in the peace talks would be reviewed, saying Ukraine tried to attack President Putin's residence near St. Petersburg. >> This is indeed a terrorist act aimed at disrupting the negotiations. The diplomatic consequences of these actions will be a tougher negotiating position. Zalinski denied the claims of an attack on Putin's residence, saying Russia was lying to undermine the peace process. Despite the accusations against Ukraine, Russia said it wouldn't leave the peace negotiations, adding that more talks with the US are planned to take place soon. Arian Pastar, NTD News.