When Donald Trump arrived in the White House in January 2025, securing a quick end to the war in Ukraine was near the top of his foreign policy agenda. Despite political backlash, he pushed ahead with this objective early in his second term by resuming dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin and initiating parallel diplomatic tracks with Kyiv and Moscow.
Eighteen months later, however, peace talks have stalled and the war has only escalated. U.S. distraction in the Middle East is to blame for the most recent setback, but the failure of Trump’s initiative has deeper roots.
Simply put, Trump’s efforts in Ukraine to this point have been counterproductive, pushing peace further off rather than bringing it closer. Fundamental flaws in the negotiating process have undermined efforts to reach a ceasefire and created new obstacles to a near-term armistice that will be challenging to overcome.
If the Trump administration is serious about ending the conflict in Ukraine, it will need to reboot its approach. This means shifting away from the focus on territory, ensuring that the U.S. only makes realistic promises to each side, and breaking down silos to include all parties and the most sensitive political issues. Redirecting the current peace process will not be easy, but, with the window for a deal closing, there is urgency to do so.
Read at Responsible Statecraft
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