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By Shane Croucher and John Feng
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President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine are "reasonably close" to ending the war, as Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor approaches the fourth anniversary in February.
The Trump White House is attempting to broker a peace deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump pledged to end the conflict on Day 1 of his second term, but has struggled to strike an agreement.
Russia and Ukraine are stuck on disagreements over territorial concessions, control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the architecture of post-war Ukrainian security guarantees.
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Meanwhile, the brutal war rolls on, with thousands dying every week, and European allies suspect Putin secretly wants to keep fighting so he can seize more Ukrainian territory.
Trump, speaking at the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos on Wednesday, said there is "tremendous" and "abnormal hatred" between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"With that being said, I think Russia wants to make a deal, I think Ukraine wants to make a deal. And we're going to try getting a deal done," Trump said, describing the conflict as a "bloodbath."
He said that when Russia and Putin are ready to make a deal, Zelensky "will not do it," and when Ukraine and Zelensky are ready, Putin "doesn't want to make the deal."
"It's a very difficult balance," Trump said.
He continued: "I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done. And if they don't, they're stupid. That goes for both of them. And I know they're not stupid. But if they don't get this done, they are stupid...You got to get this deal done. Too many people are dying. It's not worth it."
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Trump said he would be meeting with Zelensky while he is at Davos. Meanwhile, Putin is expected to soon meet Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Moscow on Thursday.
Witkoff told CNBC on Wednesday there had been much progress made in the talks involving Russia and Ukraine in the past few weeks and that "we’re bringing everyone closer."
"We’re making a lot of progress. And hopefully we’ll have something good to announce soon," Witkoff said.
Asked if he thinks Putin wants peace, Witkoff said "it’s the Russians who are asking for that meeting" on Thursday in Moscow.
"I think that’s a significant statement on their part...I just sense that everybody wants peace there, that it’s time," he said.
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