US President Donald Trump has suggested that Ukraine's borders could be redrawn as part of a future peace agreement with Russia, just days before US-mediated talks between Kyiv and Moscow are due to take place in Abu Dhabi.
In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes aired on Monday, Trump said he believed a deal was within reach, adding: "I think we're going to have it done and I think it's going to happen, and they're going to end up with a little bit different shape (for) Ukraine." He did not specify which territories might be affected or what changes he envisaged.
The remarks come ahead of trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States, scheduled for 10–11 November in the United Arab Emirates. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has confirmed that the EU will be present, and France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has said Paris will also be represented. The European presence underscores the continent's stake in any settlement, as Europe seeks a voice in the talks.
Security guarantees and the shape of post-war Europe
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that progress had been made in discussions over post-war security arrangements for Ukraine and the wider European continent. Speaking before a visit to Paris for talks with G7 foreign ministers, Rubio framed the central question as: "What is the postwar security infrastructure of Ukraine and more broadly of the European continent going to look like?"
"I think that's what the president's alluding to - is that there's been some advances made in what that architecture could look like post-conflict," Rubio told reporters. His comments suggest that Washington is considering a broader security framework that would extend beyond Ukraine's immediate borders, a matter of direct concern to EU member states and NATO allies.
Trump, for his part, expressed confidence that the war would end soon, attributing the potential breakthrough to his own involvement: "There's a very important meeting taking place," he said. "I believe that that war is going to end and it's going to end soon. And the only reason it's going to end is because of me."
Territorial disputes remain a major obstacle
Despite the optimistic tone, Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on the terms of a settlement. Moscow has repeatedly demanded that Kyiv withdraw its troops from four regions that Russia illegally claimed to annex in 2022, even though it never established full control over them. The Kremlin has also insisted that Ukraine abandon its NATO ambitions and accept limits on the size and capabilities of its armed forces.
Ukraine has categorically rejected any demands to cede territory, including areas Russia has failed to capture militarily. Kyiv insists that credible security guarantees are essential to prevent another Russian invasion and has called for an immediate ceasefire as a first step toward a broader settlement. Ukrainian officials maintain that territorial questions will ultimately require direct talks between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin.
When asked about the biggest obstacle to an agreement, Trump pointed to the personal animosity between the two leaders. "It was the hatred between Zelensky and Putin," he said. Asked whether Zelenskyy's hostility was understandable given Russia's invasion, Trump referred to what he described as disrespect toward Moscow during an earlier meeting between the two presidents. He declined to say whether he trusted Putin or Zelenskyy more.
The Abu Dhabi talks come at a delicate moment for European security. Any deal that redraws Ukraine's borders would have profound implications for the continent's post-war order, and European leaders are keen to ensure they are not sidelined. As France confirms its role in the negotiations, the question of what shape Ukraine—and Europe—will take after the war remains as unresolved as ever.
