‘Something is going to happen’: Donald Trump fuels buzz on Russia-Ukraine war; throws in a ‘but’

US President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine in a CBS News interview on Wednesday, even as concerns grow over the prospect of direct talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"I've been watching it, I've been seeing it, and I've been talking about it with President Putin and President Zelenskyy," Trump said in a phone interview. "Something is going to happen, but they are not ready yet. But something is going to happen. We are going to get it done," he added.


His comments came after Russia launched fresh drone and missile strikes on Kyiv, killing 15 people, including four children, according to local authorities. Trump acknowledged the losses but maintained optimism.

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"I think we're going to get it all straightened out," he said. "Frankly, the Russia one, I thought, would have been on the easier side of the ones I've stopped, but it seems to be something that's a little bit more difficult than some of the others."

Earlier Wednesday, Trump confirmed his observation of Putin attending a military parade in Beijing alongside Chinese and North Korean leaders. "I understand the reason they were doing it, and they were hoping I was watching, and I was watching," Mr. Trump said. "My relationship with all of them is very good. We're going to find out how good it is over the next week or two." "I understand the reason they were doing it, and they were hoping I was watching, and I was watching," Trump said. "My relationship with all of them is very good. We're going to find out how good it is over the next week or two," he added.

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Further outlining his diplomatic approach, Trump said he relies on patience and persistence to get adversaries to the table. "Well, you have to do that," he told CBS News when asked about waiting out conflicts. "We've had some very good days, fortunately, and once I get them in a room together, or get them at least speaking together, they seem to work out. We've saved millions of lives."

Trump again credited himself with resolving “six or seven conflicts” during his presidency, suggesting he deserves consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize. White House officials pointed to disputes such as Israel-Iran, Rwanda-DR Congo, Armenia-Azerbaijan, Thailand-Cambodia, India-Pakistan, Egypt-Ethiopia, and Serbia-Kosovo.

Still, Trump insists his administration’s interventions were pivotal. "A lot of times, they're fighting each other for so long," he said. "They're fighting each other so long, they don't even think in terms of peace. It just becomes a way of life. And when I get them together, I get the people in the room, I'm able to convince them. 'Let's go. Let's make peace. It's enough, already. You've lost enough lives.'"

Meanwhile, in a turn from his earlier assertions of wanting a Nobel Prize nomination, Trump, this time, said he is not seeking the Nobel Peace Prize, with this year’s winner expected to be announced next month. "I have nothing to say about it," he said. "All I can do is put out wars. I don't seek attention. I just want to save lives."

Foreign policy experts, however, dispute his role, arguing that many of these conflicts remain unresolved or were never full-scale wars.