TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE WILL HAVE A “DIFFERENT SHAPE” AFTER PEACE DEAL
President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine’s borders will change under a future peace agreement, saying the country will emerge with “a little bit different shape.”
Trump did not identify which territories he expects Ukraine to relinquish or explain whether Kyiv has accepted any such proposal. Ukraine continues to reject legal recognition of Russia’s annexations and insists that no territorial settlement can be imposed without Ukrainian consent.
Asked whether Vladimir Putin was deliberately prolonging negotiations, Trump said he did not believe so. He again declared that “nobody has been tougher on Russia” and blamed the difficulty of reaching peace on the hatred between Putin and Zelenskyy.
When reminded that Zelenskyy’s hostility was understandable because Russia invaded his country, Trump instead referred to what he described as Ukrainian “disrespect” toward Russia during an earlier meeting. An invasion that has killed thousands and destroyed entire cities cannot reasonably be balanced against perceived disrespect at a negotiating table.
Trump also denied lifting sanctions on Russian diesel. However, his administration issued a temporary exemption allowing transactions involving Russian diesel, making it easier for Moscow to return fuel to international markets. The sanctions may not have been formally abolished, but their enforcement was relaxed—and Russia potentially gained another source of revenue.
Trump once again said an agreement was very close and claimed the war would end only because of him. He has repeatedly described peace as imminent since returning to office, yet Russia has continued attacking Ukrainian cities while maintaining demands that extend beyond the territory it currently occupies.
The Abu Dhabi talks will provide the real test. Trust will depend on whether Steve Witkoff and the American delegation defend the positions agreed with Ukraine and Europe—or treat Russia’s demands and Ukrainian territorial concessions as predetermined outcomes.