Ukraine fighting drags on past four years

Four and a half years after the conflict began, troops are still fighting in Ukraine. President Donald Trump has not yet secured an end to the war, despite making that promise dozens of times during his last presidential campaign.

In July 2023, Trump told a crowd in Council Bluffs, Iowa, that he would settle the "horrible war" before taking office. He stated, "I want people to stop dying. That’s the side I’m on."

Since entering the White House, Trump has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on two occasions. He met once with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. Following that meeting, Trump described the session as productive but noted that key points remained unresolved. He said, "So, there’s no deal until there’s a deal."

The administration has shifted its policy on economic pressure in recent months. On September 18, Trump signed bipartisan legislation named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The law imposes sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia.

However, on October 16, Trump signed an executive order waiving those specific sanctions. This move came just weeks after the law took effect. The war now enters its final phase of the 2026 calendar year without a signed peace agreement.

The next scheduled step involves ongoing diplomatic talks, though no new summit dates have been publicly confirmed beyond the recent Anchorage meeting.