Trump predicts 'good chance' of Russia-Ukraine peace deal

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, saying he believes there is a "good chance we can make a deal."

Speaking after top US and Ukrainian officials hailed their meeting Sunday in Florida as "productive," Trump confirmed that he had spoken with key negotiators Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, noting they were "doing well."

"I think Russia would like to see it end and...I know Ukraine would like to see it end," he told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington, DC from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he spent Thanksgiving.

While Witkoff is expected to meet with Russian officials "sometime” this week to continue discussions, Trump said he hasn’t set a specific deadline for Moscow, adding that his only deadline is "when the war is over."

The talks in Florida, which followed a meeting in Geneva, focused on ensuring a "stronger and more prosperous" future for Ukraine, though Rubio acknowledged that the process remains "delicate" and requires Russia's involvement as "part of the equation."

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, who led the talks for his country, said the parties made “tangible progress on the path toward a just peace” following the “difficult but productive round of negotiations.”