Ukraine fighting persists after Trump pledge

Fighting between Russia and Ukraine has continued for more than four and a half years, persisting despite President Donald Trump's repeated efforts to end the war.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump vowed to settle the conflict before taking office. At a July 7, 2023, rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, he stated, “I want people to stop dying. That’s the side I’m on.”

Since taking office, Trump has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice at the White House. He also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin once, in August 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. Following that meeting, Trump described it as productive, noting that the leaders agreed on many points but had not yet reached a final deal.

U.S. policy toward Russia has shifted recently. On September 18, Trump signed bipartisan legislation named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, which imposed sanctions and tariffs on Russia. Three weeks later, on October 16, Trump signed an executive order waiving those sanctions.

The war remains active as of late October 2026. The shift in sanctions policy occurred two weeks ago, following the executive order signed in Washington.