US President Donald Trump has once again said that his leadership helped bring an end to eight wars within 10 months. However, he admitted that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine remains extremely difficult to resolve.
Speaking at a public event on Saturday, Trump said the United States was “bringing peace all over the world,” but acknowledged that the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to be a major challenge.
“We have a couple more to go, but one in particular, Russia-Ukraine. It’s a mess. It’s a horrible thing. I think we’ll get there. It takes two to tango,” he said. Trump added that consistent effort from both sides would be necessary to move closer to peace.
#WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, “We are also bringing peace all over the world. I ended eight wars in just 10 months…We have a couple more to go, but one in particular, Russia-Ukraine. It’s a mess. It’s a horrible thing. I think we’ll get there. It takes two to tango.… pic.twitter.com/kaK9sp7zaL
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2026
War Nears Fourth Year With No Compromise in Sight
Trump’s comments come as the Russia-Ukraine war approaches its fourth year. Despite heavy losses on both sides, neither Moscow nor Kyiv has shown willingness to compromise on key territorial demands.
Fighting continues across a nearly 1,250-kilometre-long front line. Russian forces are stepping up attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, while Ukrainian forces are striking deep inside Russian territory, including oil refineries and other strategic targets linked to the war effort.
Trump Pressures Zelenskyy to Move Faster on Peace
Earlier this week, Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to act quickly to secure a peace deal.
When asked about reports that Washington wanted Ukraine to hold elections by the summer, Trump avoided a direct reply. Instead, he stressed that Zelenskyy needed to act without delay. “Russia wants to make a deal and Zelensky is going to have to get moving, otherwise he’s going to miss a great opportunity,” Trump said. “He has to move.”
Geneva Talks Set as US Pushes for Breakthrough
Against this backdrop, Russian and Ukrainian representatives are expected to participate in a new round of United States-brokered talks in Geneva next week.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the trilateral discussions will take place on February 17–18, following two earlier rounds held in Abu Dhabi. The talks were also confirmed by Zelenskyy’s communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn.
The negotiations are expected to expand on previous discussions that focused on military issues, such as a possible buffer zone and systems to monitor any future ceasefire. Earlier talks in Abu Dhabi were reportedly led by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Donbas Remains the Biggest Sticking Point
One of the most sensitive issues in the negotiations is the future of Ukraine’s Donbas industrial region. Russia is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from the remaining parts of eastern Donetsk that are still under Kyiv’s control. Ukraine has firmly rejected this demand and has ruled out any unilateral pullback.
Instead, Kyiv is seeking strong security guarantees from Western allies to ensure Russia does not restart its offensive if a ceasefire is agreed upon. Zelenskyy said last week that the United States had set a June deadline for both sides to reach an agreement. However, earlier deadlines suggested by Trump have not yet resulted in a breakthrough.
Russia’s Negotiating Team Named
Russia’s delegation for the upcoming Geneva talks is expected to be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Medinsky previously led peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey in March 2022, which ultimately collapsed without an agreement.
