As the war in Ukraine grinds toward its fourth year, US President Donald Trump has made clear which world leader he thinks can help America end the conflict: Vladimir Putin’s ally Xi Jinping.

US President Donald Trump stated that the United States has made "tremendous progress" in negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv over the past week, and a peace deal may soon be reached, according to the New York Post.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he's ready to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but with some caveats.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the war between Ukraine and Russia “must end,” that Kyiv joining NATO is unrealistic and that the U.S. will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security as the Trump administration shifts its attention to securing the U.

New US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to assume the role of backseat driver in his first in person meeting with European counterparts on Wednesday as the new Trump administration works to shift responsibility for Ukrainian and European security squarely to NATO and the EU.