Trump threatens to pull out of negotiations next week if no agreement is reached – The Times

U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to withdraw from the peace process next week if no agreement is reached.

This was reported by The Times, citing its own sources.

The outlet also notes that Trump is firmly determined to allow Russia to retain the territories it currently controls. This part of Trump’s plan is “set in stone,” according to The Times.

Trump may meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome on Saturday during the funeral of Pope Francis. However, he believes that Zelensky “really has no choice” but to agree to the proposal, according to a source close to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Reportedly, the U.S. proposal, presented by Witkoff to both Moscow and Kyiv, includes formal American recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea — the peninsula annexed in 2014 — and de facto recognition of Russia’s control over the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine captured after the 2022 invasion.

A revised European and Ukrainian proposal would tie discussions about territorial control to future negotiations following a ceasefire.

“Trump believes that this land has been seized and will not be returned,” said a source close to Witkoff. “The deal is that the territory occupied by Russia will remain occupied. Russia will not leave. This part is carved in stone.”

The U.S. believes that if Ukraine rejects the deal, the war will continue for months or even years, and Kyiv will increasingly depend on Europe for funding and ammunition, the source added.

“Cutting off [U.S.] funding would actually have the same effect as stopping arms shipments [earlier this year], because Ukraine uses that money to buy more weapons from other allies,” the source explained.

American officials also believe that European public opinion will turn against the massive expenditures needed to support Ukraine, especially as the continent moves toward a recession — partly triggered by Trump’s tariffs.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined three “red lines” for peace negotiations. Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin shared Russia’s conditions for peace during a closed-door meeting, while Trump’s team proposed dividing Ukraine into spheres of influence.