Archive · 1 Jan 2026
Trump's 24-hour Ukraine peace pledge unravels
Donald Trump promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours if he became president again.
However, after almost a year of trying to negotiate, he realized it was much harder than he thought.
There were secret talks, arguments among his advisers, and even some decisions that hurt Ukraine's ability to defend itself.
The CIA helped Ukraine attack important Russian targets, which cost Russia a lot of money.
In the end, Trump and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had a better relationship after sharing personal stories about Ukrainian women.
Trump pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours during his campaign.
Negotiations lasted nearly a year, with Trump acknowledging the complexity of the issue.
Biden refused to grant Trump permission for transition talks, fearing a deal at Ukraine's expense.
The Pentagon withheld critical munitions, impacting Ukraine's defense capabilities.
The CIA assisted Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets, costing Russia up to $75 million a day.
Trump and Zelensky's relationship improved after a personal conversation about Ukrainian women.
- Who
- Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, and key advisers
- What
- Failed negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war
- When
- Nearly a year of negotiations, with a pivotal meeting on Sunday
- Where
- Mar-a-Lago and other locations
- Why
- Trump's campaign pledge to end the war quickly, but faced complexities and setbacks
- Trump's Pledge
- Negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours
- Negotiation Duration
- Nearly a year of on-again, off-again negotiations
- Key Figures
- Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Michael Waltz, Steve Witkoff, Keith Kellogg, J.D. Vance, Pete Hegseth
- Secret Letter
- Biden refused to grant Trump permission for transition talks
- Munitions Withheld
- Pentagon held back critical munitions, including 155-millimeter shells
- CIA's Role
- Assisted Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian targets
- Economic Impact
- Drone strikes cost Russian economy up to $75 million a day
- Trump-Zelensky Meeting
- Improved relationship with personal anecdotes about Ukrainian women