Ukraine peace deal possible within weeks: Poland's Tusk

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that a peace agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine could be reached within weeks, citing renewed diplomatic momentum following talks with European leaders, Canada, and NATO allies.

“Peace is on the horizon,” Tusk told a government meeting on Tuesday, stressing that recent developments offered “grounds for hope” that the conflict could end sooner rather than later — though he cautioned that success was not guaranteed. 

“When I say weeks, I mean weeks, not months or years,” he said.

Tusk pointed to security guarantees offered to Kiev by the United States as a key factor driving optimism, while acknowledging that Ukraine may face difficult compromises, including on territorial questions.

Peace is close despite “sticking points”

His comments came as US President Donald Trump said Washington and Kiev were “very close” to an agreement following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, even as unresolved issues remain. 

Zelenskyy has said control of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the future of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region are still sticking points.

The Kremlin, however, struck a more defiant tone, saying its negotiating position would harden after accusing Ukraine of attacking a Russian presidential residence — a claim Kiev dismissed as baseless and aimed at delaying peace efforts.

Russia continues to demand that Ukraine withdraw forces from parts of eastern Ukraine it claims to have annexed, while Kiev has pushed for a ceasefire along the current front lines. 

Washington has floated the idea of a free economic zone as part of a potential settlement if Ukrainian forces pull back.

Tusk said January could mark a decisive moment, urging allies to prepare for major decisions on Ukraine’s future and Europe’s security architecture.