Trump Calls for Russia–Ukraine Truce Along Current Battle Lines

United States President Donald Trump has proposed that Russia and Ukraine immediately halt hostilities and establish a ceasefire along the current front lines, a move that would effectively freeze the conflict and allow future negotiations to determine final territorial arrangements.

Speaking to reporters late on Sunday, Trump said both sides should “stop right now at the battle lines, go home, stop killing people and be done,” suggesting that political and territorial details could be resolved later through talks.

The front line currently runs through the Donbas region, where the majority of fighting has taken place.

“Let it be cut the way it is,” Trump said. “It’s cut up right now, I think 78 percent of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now. They can negotiate something later on down the line.”

The proposal comes as part of Trump’s broader pledge to end the conflict swiftly through diplomacy. The U.S. president is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary in the coming weeks to discuss potential peace arrangements.

Last week, Trump hosted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, saying there was a “chance to conclude the conflict quickly if flexibility is shown.” Zelensky, however, has continued to insist on the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, including the regions now under Russian control.

On Sunday, Zelensky called on Trump to apply additional pressure on Moscow, describing Putin as “something similar but more strong than Hamas.” He also renewed his request for long-range Tomahawk missiles from the United States. Trump, while not rejecting the idea outright, has suggested that the U.S. should prioritize maintaining its own missile stockpiles for national defense.

Under former President Joe Biden, Washington provided extensive military and financial aid to Kyiv. Trump has since advocated a more measured approach, encouraging European nations to take greater responsibility for supporting Ukraine, including by purchasing U.S.-made weapons.

Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, citing NATO’s continued expansion into former Soviet territories as a key concern. While Ukrainian forces initially repelled the advance toward Kyiv, the conflict has since settled into a prolonged confrontation in the country’s east.