Rerun

promise

The recurring promise to end the Ukraine war "in 24 hours" / "on day one"

You're probably here because of the Oct 2026 rerun. This is the 15th time since 2023 this has been promised. The previous rerun was Feb 2026.

About this story

On the 2023–2024 campaign trail, Donald Trump said many times that he would end Russia's war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, or before he took office. A CNN fact-check searching the Roll Call Factba.se database counted at least 53 such statements. After he returned to office in January 2025 the war continued. Trump later called the pledge "sarcastic," "an exaggeration" and said "in jest," and the target moved to 100 days, then to a series of deadlines. In February 2026 PolitiFact rated the promise "Broken."

Sources: 1, 2

20162026

Oct 2026 – ongoing "Energy ceasefire," clash with Zelensky, "closest we've been"

On Oct. 11, 2026, Trump posted on Truth Social that an "ENERGY CEASEFIRE" was "effective immediately" and that both sides had agreed. Zelenskyy said the announcement "was news for me," and said Russia had since hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure, including a power plant in Kharkiv. On Oct. 19, Trump said Zelenskyy should have settled the war "a long time ago" and suggested someone else negotiate for Ukraine. On Oct. 21, he said a settlement was "maybe now the closest we've been." AFP noted that several rounds of talks and an Alaska summit with Putin the year before had not ended the war. CBS/AP reported on Oct. 11 that the war was more than 4½ years old and the armies were "largely deadlocked on the front line." Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight into Oct. 22 killed at least four people.

  • cbsnews.com article
    Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!
  • Al Jazeera article
    Maybe it's time for Zelenskyy to get somebody else to negotiate.
  • koreatimes.co.kr article
    which I think we're getting closer to, by the way — maybe now the closest we've been

Sources: cbsnews.com reliable · Al Jazeera reliable · Al Jazeera reliable · koreatimes.co.kr needs a second source

Feb 2026 The June deadline, Geneva talks and the fourth anniversary

Trump promised dozens of times during his campaign to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours, and PolitiFact rated that promise "Broken" on Jan. 22, 2025. By February 2026, a little over a year into his term, there was still no peace deal. The first three-way US–Ukraine–Russia talks were held in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23, and a second round in early February produced only a swap of 157 prisoners of war on each side. On Feb. 7, Zelensky said the US was proposing that the war end "by the beginning of this summer." Talks in Geneva on Feb. 17–18 ended without a resolution, and coverage in this period measured the state of the war against the original 24-hour promise.

  • Al Jazeera article
    Trump had boasted that he would end the war in 24 hours when he took office. But more than 12 months later, any peace settlement remains elusive
  • Al Jazeera article
    One week ahead of the fourth anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, United States-led peace talks in Geneva ended for the day earlier than scheduled on Wednesday.
  • Public Broadcasting Service article
    Trump broke one promise that he made dozens of times while campaigning: to stop the Ukraine-Russia war in 24 hours.

Sources: Al Jazeera reliable · Al Jazeera reliable · Public Broadcasting Service reliable · PolitiFact reliable

Dec 2025 Mar-a-Lago, "maybe very close"

On Dec 28, 2025, after meeting Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said the teams were "getting a lot closer, maybe very close" to a peace deal. Asked how long it would take, he said a settlement could come in "a few weeks" if things went "really well," but that it "could also go poorly" (CBS; ABC also reported the "maybe very close" remark). CBS noted that he had said during the campaign he'd end the war before taking office, and that he has since called it more challenging than he expected. By then there was no deal: Russia had attacked Kyiv the day before; Zelensky said a 20-point plan was "90% agreed"; both leaders called territory in the Donbas a "very tough question"; and Moscow had shown no sign of dropping its territorial demands (CBS).

  • ABC News article
    getting a lot closer, maybe very close
  • cbsnews.com article
    In a few weeks we may know one way or the other,
  • youtube.com video
    getting a lot closer, maybe very close

Sources: cbsnews.com reliable · ABC News reliable

Nov 2025 The 28-point plan and a Thanksgiving deadline

During the 2024 campaign Trump repeatedly said he would end the Russia-Ukraine war on his first day in office (Newsweek). Ten months into his term, the war was still going (CBS: the war "has raged there ever since" February 2022). On Nov. 21, 2025, Trump said he wanted Ukraine's answer to a U.S.-drafted 28-point plan by Thursday, which was Thanksgiving, though he added that deadlines can be extended (CBS; Newsweek). On Nov. 25 he said "I don't have a deadline" and that the deadline was "when it's over" (RealClearPolitics transcript; Kyiv Independent). He also called the plan "just a map" rather than a plan. No ceasefire or deal was in place then. Axios reported that the peace process had been "almost entirely stuck" in late October.

  • Axios article
    he demanded Ukraine sign it by Thanksgiving
  • cbsnews.com article
    I've had a lot of deadlines, but if things are working well, you tend to extend the deadlines,
  • RealClearPolitics broadcast
    I don't have a deadline. You know what the deadline for me is? When it's over.
  • youtube.com video

Sources: kyivindependent.com needs a second source · Axios reliable · cbsnews.com reliable · Newsweek (pre–2013) needs a second source

Sep 2025 The one that I thought would be easiest

Before the 2024 election, Trump said he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours (ITV; ABC Australia). On Sept 18, 2025, he said at Chequers that he had thought this war would be the easiest to end because of his relationship with Putin, "but he's let me down" (ITV; The Independent; Fox News; Kyiv Independent). By then, months of US-led talks, including the August summit with Putin in Alaska, had produced no breakthrough (Fox News). Trump's deadlines and ultimatums to Putin had passed "without obvious consequences" (The Independent). The war was still going, and the first US weapons packages for Ukraine paid for by European allies had been approved in mid-September (Kyiv Independent).

  • Fox News article
    "The one that I thought would be easiest would be because of my relationship with President Putin," … "But he's let me down. He's really let me down."
  • inkl.com article
    "I thought this war would be one of the easiest to solve because of my relationship with Putin. But he has really let me down,"
  • c-span.org video Watch
    because of my relationship with President Putin

Sources: itv.com needs a second source · abc.net.au needs a second source · kyivindependent.com needs a second source · Fox News needs a second source · inkl.com needs a second source

Aug 2025 Alaska summit

During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to office. A CNN fact-check counted 53 times he said this (published Aug 15, 2025). On Aug 15, 2025, about seven months into his term, Trump met Putin in Anchorage for nearly three hours. They did not announce a ceasefire or an agreement to end the war, and Trump said, "There's no deal until there's a deal" (NBC News). That same day, CNN reported that Trump had said in April 2025 that the promise was "said in jest," and in June that it "was sarcastic." CNN called these explanations false. NBC reported that Russian strikes on Ukraine continued that day, and that the summit came after a deadline Trump set in July had passed. The sanctions the U.S. "was supposed to levy against Russia this time last week" had not been imposed.

  • NBC News article
    met for nearly three hours in Anchorage, Alaska, but did not announce a ceasefire or an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
  • CNN article
    Falsely said he was speaking "in jest" and being "sarcastic" when he solemnly promised dozens of times during his 2024 campaign to immediately end the war if he was elected.

Sources: NBC News reliable · CNN reliable

Jun 2025 Stepping back, and "sarcastic" again

At the press conference closing the NATO summit in The Hague on June 25, 2025, Johannes Petra of Austrian National Television said to Trump: "You once said that you would end the Ukraine War in 24 hours. You later said, you said that sarcastically." Trump answered: "Of course it was sarcastic." The reporter said Trump had "now been in office for five months and five days" and asked why he had not ended the war. Trump said it was "more difficult than people would have any idea," that "Vladimir Putin has been more difficult," and that he had "some problems with Zelensky." In the same press conference he said "I'm going to speak to Vladimir Putin and see if we can get it ended." So on that date, his own remarks show the war had not ended and no settlement was in place.

  • rev.com statement
    Of course it was sarcastic.
  • The Daily Beast article
    The president insisted that he was being sarcastic when he made the pledge during the presidential election campaign.
  • news.liga.net article
    He was reminded that he had been in office for five months and five days, and asked why he had not yet been able to end the war.

Sources: rev.com needs a second source · democrats.senate.gov needs a second source · The Daily Beast needs a second source · news.liga.net needs a second source

Apr 2025 "In jest" at the 100-day mark

As a candidate, Trump repeatedly promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours. In a Time interview held April 22, 2025 and published April 25, he was asked about that promise. He answered that he had said it "figuratively" and "as an exaggeration," and that "it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended." By then, more than 2,300 hours into his term, there was still no peace deal, and PolitiFact kept its rating of the promise at "Promise Broken" (April 29). Near the 100-day mark, NBC reported that Russian forces were still attacking Ukraine. NBC also quoted Trump telling reporters on Sunday (April 27), "We have the confines of a deal, I believe."

  • Time article
    Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended.
  • CNN article
    This "in jest" claim is a lie.
  • NBC News article
    We have the confines of a deal, I believe,

Sources: Time reliable · kyivindependent.com needs a second source · NBC News reliable · PolitiFact reliable

Mar 2025 A little bit sarcastic

In an interview with Sharyl Attkisson for Sinclair's "Full Measure," Trump was asked about his campaign promise to settle the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours. He said, "I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that," and added that he would like to get it settled and thought he would succeed. AP noted that he had said at a May 2023 CNN town hall, "I'll have that done in 24 hours." In his September 2024 debate he said he would settle it "before I even become president." At the time of the interview, AP reported, his administration was still trying to broker a solution 54 days into his second term. His envoy Steve Witkoff was in Moscow that week for talks on a U.S.-proposed ceasefire that Ukraine had accepted. Trump said that if Putin refused a ceasefire it would be "bad news for this world," but that he thought Putin would agree.

  • abcnews4.com article
    What I really mean is I'd like to get it settled and, I'll, I think, I think I'll be successful.
  • rollcall.com broadcast
    Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that, what I really mean is I'd like to get it settled and I think I'll be successful.
  • Yahoo News article
    Trump has prioritized efforts to negotiate an end to the war, since entering the White House nearly two months ago, but the war remains ongoing.
  • youtube.com video

Sources: abcnews4.com needs a second source · aa.com.tr needs a second source · Yahoo News reliable · CNN reliable

Jan 2025 Moving the timeline, then the inauguration

During his campaign, Trump said he would end the war "in 24 hours" after taking office, or even before his inauguration (NBC News; Newsweek dates the "24 hours" line to May 2023 and the before-inauguration claim to a June 2024 rally). At a Jan. 7, 2025 press conference, he said he didn't think it appropriate to meet Putin until after Jan. 20, and answered "I hope to have -- six months." The next day, his pick for Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, told Fox News he hoped for a solution within 100 days of the inauguration. On Jan. 17, NBC reported that the war showed no sign of ending and that Trump's team hadn't outlined a peace proposal to Ukraine's leaders (citing two sources close to Ukraine's government and a former U.S. diplomat). On Jan. 23, Newsweek reported that Trump had missed his deadline of ending the war within a day of taking office.

Sources: kyivindependent.com needs a second source · nbcnewyork.com needs a second source · Newsweek (pre–2013) needs a second source · rollcall.com reliable

Nov 2024 – Dec 2024 Trump's promise to settle the Russia-Ukraine war before taking office is tested and toned down during the transition

During the 2024 campaign, Trump said several times that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war settled before taking office. Examples are a June 22 rally in Philadelphia ("Before I even arrive at the Oval Office… I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled"), the Sept. 10 debate, and the Oct. 17 Al Smith dinner (USA Today). After Trump won, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that calling it an overnight fix was "a kind of exaggeration" (Newsweek, Nov. 8, 2024, citing Russian state media). At a Mar-a-Lago news conference on Dec. 16, Trump said a deal before he took office was still possible, said "I'm going to try," and called the Russia-Ukraine situation "more difficult" than the Middle East (ABC News; Factba.se transcript). ABC noted the war had by then "pressed on for more than 1,000 days." No settlement was reached by the inauguration. On Jan. 22, 2025, PolitiFact rated the 24-hour promise "Promise Broken," "for now."

  • Newsweek (pre–2013) article
    Of course it was a kind of exaggeration when he said he would do it overnight
  • rollcall.com statement
    We're trying to get the war stopped, that horrible, horrible war that's going on in Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine. We're going to get a little progress.
  • Yahoo News article
    Trump claimed to have made "a little progress" without offering even a scrap of detail to back that up.

Sources: Newsweek (pre–2013) needs a second source · ABC News reliable · Yahoo News reliable · PolitiFact reliable

Sep 2024 The debate pledge and the Trump Tower meeting

At the Sept. 10, 2024 ABC News debate, moderator David Muir told Trump, "You have said you would solve this war in 24 hours," and asked how. Trump answered, "I will get it settled before I even become president. If I win, when I'm President-Elect." Harris replied that Trump says the war "would be over within 24 hours" because "he would just give it up." On Sept. 27, then-candidate Trump met Zelensky at Trump Tower and said, "if we win, I think we're going to get it resolved very quickly." He was not in office, so nothing had been delivered. Muir noted the war was "2 1/2 years" old, and Zelensky said that day that Putin "is in our territory."

  • ABC News broadcast
    That is a war that's dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president.
  • cbsnews.com article
    And I think if we win, I think we're going to get it resolved very quickly.
  • truthsocial.com social post
    If I'm elected President, the war with Russia and Ukraine will end quickly. If not, that war will never end, and will phase into WORLD WAR III
  • c-span.org video Watch

Sources: ABC News reliable · Public Broadcasting Service reliable · rferl.org needs a second source · cbsnews.com reliable

Nov 2023 – Jan 2024 Zelensky's "24 minutes" invitation (Nov. 2023), with a Channel 4 echo (Jan. 2024)

Trump told CNN in May 2023, "If I'm president, I will have that war settled in one day, 24 hours." He repeated the claim on NBC's "Meet the Press" in September 2023, saying "If I tell you exactly, I lose all my bargaining chips." On Nov. 5, 2023, Zelensky said on the same program that he would need "24 minutes" to explain to Trump that "he can't manage this war," and invited him to Ukraine. Trump turned the invitation down in a statement to Newsmax. At that point Trump held no office, so the promise depended on his re-election. CNN reported that Ukraine had resisted the full-scale invasion for "more than 20 months." Its top commander had called the war a "stalemate," and Russia still occupied "nearly one-fifth of Ukraine." On Jan. 19, 2024, Zelensky told Channel 4 News that Trump's claim was "very dangerous." He invited Trump to Kyiv "if you can stop the war during 24 hours."

  • NBC News article
    If he can come here, I will need 24 minutes — yes, 24 minutes. Not more.
  • newsmax.com article
    I have great respect for President Zelenskyy, but think it would be inappropriate to go to Ukraine at this time
  • CNN article
    Please, Donald Trump, I invite you to Ukraine, to Kyiv. If you can stop the war during 24 hours, I think it will be [reason] enough to come.

Sources: CNN reliable · Newsweek (pre–2013) needs a second source · CNN reliable · cbc.ca needs a second source

Jul 2023 How he would do it, and 'before I even arrive'

On July 16, 2023, former President Trump, then a 2024 Republican candidate, appeared on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures." He said he would tell Zelenskyy "You got to make a deal" and tell Putin that otherwise the US would give Ukraine "more than they ever got," and that he would "have the deal done in one day." CNN's 2025 fact-check, based on a search of the Roll Call Factba.se database, lists four more times he said it that month: Pickens, South Carolina (July 1); Council Bluffs, Iowa (July 7); West Palm Beach, Florida (July 15); and Erie, Pennsylvania (July 29), where he said the war would be "settled" "before I even arrive at the Oval Office" and "done within 24 hours, you watch." Trump was not in office, so there was nothing he could have delivered yet. The war was still going on: in the interview, host Maria Bartiromo said his answer was "not going to be enough for Putin to stop bombing." CNN's list shows he had already made the pledge at least nine times between March 4 and June 30, 2023.

  • Fox News article
    I would tell Zelenskyy, no more. You got to make a deal.
  • CNN article
    I know Zelensky, I know Putin, it'll be done within 24 hours, you watch.

Sources: Fox News needs a second source · CNN reliable · The Washington Post reliable

Mar 2023 – May 2023 The pledge enters the campaign

Former President Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war "solved in 24 hours with Zelensky and with Putin." He said the negotiation would be "very easy" but declined to describe it. European Pravda reported (March 26) that he had made the same promise at his first campaign rally, in Texas, calling himself "the only candidate to make that promise." At CNN's town hall in New Hampshire on May 10, he repeated that the war would be settled "within 24 hours." He declined to say whether he wanted Ukraine or Russia to win. At the time Trump was a declared 2024 candidate with no government role, so nothing had been delivered. The war had begun in February 2022.

  • The Hill article
    I will have it solved within one day, a peace between them.
  • sbs.com.au article
    I'll meet with Putin. I'll meet with Zelensky. They both have weaknesses and they both have strengths. And within 24 hours, that war will be settled. It'll be over,
  • pravda.com.ua article
    I will have a settlement within 24 hours. Standing before you today, I'm the only candidate to make that promise.

Sources: The Hill reliable · sbs.com.au needs a second source · pravda.com.ua needs a second source · deadline.com needs a second source