“I think we’ll know the outcome within two weeks, one way or the other,” Trump said in a phone interview on August 21 when asked about the chances of a peace deal. “After that, we may have to choose another course,” he added, without offering details.
Trump has previously used similar two-week timelines on Ukraine and other issues. In late May, he set the same timeframe to gauge whether Russian President Vladimir Putin was serious about pursuing peace. He has also applied this window to decisions on trade, health care reform, and infrastructure plans.
Recently, Trump has stepped up efforts to mediate the conflict. He met Putin at a summit in Alaska on August 15, followed by talks with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on August 18. These meetings raised hopes for a potential Putin-Zelensky summit, though recent developments have dampened expectations.
On August 21, Moscow accused Kyiv of showing little interest in “lasting peace,” claiming Ukraine was demanding security guarantees unacceptable to Russia. Zelensky, meanwhile, criticized Moscow for “avoiding direct talks,” saying Russia had no real intention to end the war.