Trump warns of global conflict as Russia-Ukraine war stalls peace talks

Friday 12 December 2025 - 12:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Trump warns of global conflict as Russia-Ukraine war stalls peace talks

The escalating frustration in Washington over the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war has prompted a grave warning from US President Donald Trump, who cautioned that continued hostilities could spiral into a global conflict. Trump expressed alarm over recent casualty figures, noting that 25,000 people—mostly soldiers—were killed last month alone.

Speaking after signing an executive order on artificial intelligence regulations, the President said the ongoing violence risks pushing the world toward a third world war. "Everybody keeps playing games like this," he told reporters. "We will end up in a third world war, and we don’t want to see that happen."

Pressure grows for peace progress

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump’s growing impatience with both Moscow and Kyiv, citing his demand for “action, not talk.” Over the past weeks, US envoys have engaged in more than 30 hours of negotiations with Russian, Ukrainian, and European representatives.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s senior advisor Jared Kushner recently traveled to Moscow for high-level discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but despite sustained diplomacy, little substantive progress has emerged.

Territorial disputes block negotiations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv revised its set of counter-proposals to the United States, rejecting parts of a 28-point plan viewed as too lenient on Russia. The updated 20-point document, according to Zelenskyy, emphasizes sovereignty and warns that any territorial concessions particularly in Donetsk would need public approval through a national referendum.

Control of the Donetsk region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain unresolved issues. Reports suggest Trump hopes to secure an agreement before Christmas, though the White House has not confirmed a timeline.

In Berlin, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Russia may threaten member states within five years if defense spending does not rise substantially, underscoring the broader geopolitical tension surrounding the conflict.