U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has revised his campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within "24 hours," now suggesting a timeline of several months. European officials view this adjustment as an indication that his administration will not immediately withdraw support for Kyiv.
Two European officials told the Financial Times that recent discussions with Trump’s incoming team revealed no concrete plan to resolve the war yet. They also emphasized that U.S. assistance to Ukraine would persist following Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
"The whole [Trump] team is obsessed with strength and looking strong, so they’re recalibrating the Ukraine approach," one official said. The official added that Trump’s camp is cautious about avoiding comparisons with Joe Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, which they do not want to see replicated in Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Trump said a six-month timeline was more realistic for ending the war. Meanwhile, his designated envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, set a goal of resolving the war within 100 days. "I would like to set a goal on a personal and professional level — I would set it at 100 days and move all the way back," Kellogg told Fox News. "And figure a way we can do this in the near term, to make sure the solution is solid and it’s sustainable and that this war ends so that we stop the carnage."
European leaders are urging Trump and his team to maintain U.S. military aid to Ukraine, arguing that it is critical for Kyiv’s defense and for compelling Moscow to engage in peace talks. French officials noted last month that halting Russia’s advances in eastern Ukraine is essential to any negotiation, as discussions are unlikely while Moscow continues to gain territory.
Washington’s military support remains a cornerstone of Ukraine's defense, complemented by European contributions of weapons and financial aid. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, dismissed concerns that the U.S. might abandon Ukraine.
Meloni stressed that Ukraine must receive concrete security guarantees as part of any diplomatic resolution to the war. "Security guarantees are fundamental if we actually aspire to have peace in Ukraine," she reportedly said. "We all know that in the past Russia has violated the agreements that it has signed. Without security guarantees, we cannot have certainty that will not happen again."
President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to advocate for a firm timeline for Ukraine to join NATO as part of these guarantees. However, both Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden have expressed reservations about such a commitment, and some European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, share their hesitancy.
French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed deploying European troops to Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression, though this idea lacks consensus among European nations.
The Kremlin said earlier that President Vladimir Putin is open to dialogue with Trump and would welcome his approach. Putin’s main objectives in any talks include ensuring Ukraine never joins NATO and negotiating a reduction of NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe. "He wants to change the rules of the international order so there are no threats to Russia," a former senior Kremlin official said. "Trump wants to roll back NATO anyway. The world is changing; anything can happen."
NATO leaders, including Secretary-General Mark Rutte, have urged Trump to prioritize "peace through strength" in Ukraine, warning that a settlement unfavorable to Kyiv could embolden adversaries like Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and Iran.
Abbey Fenbert
(Updated: )
