Today marks the 3-year anniversary of the Ukraine-Russia war. Here's the latest
Trump says Russia-Ukraine war could end 'within weeks'
President Donald Trump said the war in Ukraine could end "within weeks" as he met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on the three-year anniversary of the conflict. Trump also spoke about mineral rights and tariffs among other international topics.
Monday marks the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as leaders from Europe and Canada visited Ukraine's capital.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and as negotiations continue for a resolution to end the war, here’s what you need to know.
War in Ukraine could end 'within weeks,' Trump says
During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron Monday at the White House, President Donald Trump said Russia's war in Ukraine could come to an end "within weeks," adding that Ukranian President Zelenskyy could visit Washington D.C. soon to sign a rare minerals deal with the U.S. This comes as the world marked the three-year mark of the conflict. National security analyst Hal Kempfer joins LiveNOW's Andrew Craft to discuss.
US abstains from voting on resolution
In the U.N. General Assembly, the U.S. joined Russia in voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution that called out Moscow’s aggression and demanded an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops.
The U.S. then abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after Europeans, led by France, succeeded in amending it to make clear Russia was the aggressor. The voting was taking place on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion and as Trump was hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington.
It was a major setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion.
Also on Monday, the president expressed hope that Russia's war in Ukraine would near an endgame after he met with Macron.
"It looks like we’re getting very close," Trump told reporters of the minerals deal before his meeting with Macron. He said Zelenskyy could potentially visit Washington this week or next to sign it.
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a joint news conference following a meeting at the White House on Feb. 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chen Mengtong/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)
Trump, Macron press conference
Local perspective:
President Donald Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House for talks on Monday with Trump adjusting American foreign policy as he attempts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
What they're saying:
The pair spoke at a joint press conference Monday afternoon.
Macron said their talks were productive and acknowledged that European nations must do more to bolster defense on the continent. But Macron also warned against capitulating to Russia.
″This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine," Macron said. "It must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees. This peace must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty."
Earlier, in broad-ranging comments, Trump said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine to keep the peace.
UN votes on dueling Russia-Ukraine resolutions
In a win for Ukraine, the United States failed to get the U.N. General Assembly to approve its resolution urging an end to the war without mentioning Moscow’s aggression.
Instead, the U.N. approved Monday a dueling European-backed Ukrainian resolution demanding Russia immediately withdraw from the country.
Dig deeper:
This marks a setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion. But it also shows some diminished support for Ukraine, whose resolution passed 93-18, with 65 abstentions. That’s lower than previous votes, which saw over 140 nations condemn Russia’s aggression.
The Russia-Ukraine war
A ceremony is held at the Lychakiv Cemetery to honor the memory of fallen soldiers on the 3nd anniversary of the Russian-Ukrainian war, marking three years since the conflict began, on February 24, 2025, in Lviv, Ukraine. (Photo by Michael Sorrow/Ana
The backstory:
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, amid Kyiv’s bid to join NATO, which he cast as a major threat to Russia. He asked for NATO’s guarantee that it would never offer membership to Ukraine.
Putin expected a quick victory but was met by steadfast Ukrainian resistance and a flow of Western weapons. As of negotiations, Russia controls about a fifth of the Ukrainian territory.
Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
What we know:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the four regions that Russia has seized but never fully controlled, renounce its bid to join NATO and protect the rights of Russian speakers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously rejected these demands.
What we don't know:
Details of the ceasefire proposal weren’t immediately available.
Moreover, it’s also unclear how involved Zelenskyy and other allies may have been in drafting the proposal. In pushing for a resolution, President Donald Trump has been noncommittal about how involved Ukraine would be in the peace talks, leading world policy experts to believe a deal could be negotiated behind Kyiv’s back.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by a joint Feb. 24 press conference with Trump and Macron, the Associated Press and previous reporting from FOX Television Stations. The AP cited comments from President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy related to ending the Russia-Ukraine war. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.