Trump promises major deal after meeting Putin envoy
The US president says a possible agreement could go beyond the war in Ukraine, but no concrete arrangements have been announced.
Follow-up to: European countries prepare for peace talks Thursday, 5 November 2026, 03:39
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Donald Trump says he held a private conversation at the White House on Thursday with Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Trump, a major deal may be in the works that would affect not only Ukraine but perhaps the whole of Europe; no concrete arrangements have been announced. The conversation follows fresh US efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.
Trump would not say what he discussed with Dmitriev. He did tell reporters that an agreement was coming and that, in his view, it could cover more than simply ending the war in Ukraine. The US president mentioned no negotiating document, timetable or concrete commitments from Russia or Ukraine.
Earlier on Thursday, Dmitriev appeared alongside Russian and Ukrainian representatives at a meeting at the White House. The meeting focused on a temporary ceasefire in Olesjky, a Russian-controlled city in the Kherson region. The ceasefire was intended to deliver humanitarian aid and allow residents to leave and, according to sources, ran from 27 October to 1 November.
The meeting between Trump and Dmitriev was not a joint negotiation involving both warring parties. Trump said he had not spoken to the Ukrainian delegation on Thursday. Among those present at the meeting concerning Olesjky were David Arakhamia, parliamentary leader of President Volodymyr Zelensky's party, and Dmytro Lubynets, Ukraine's ombudsman.
The US envoy Jared Kushner said American officials held productive talks in Brussels on Thursday with Ukraine, NATO and European partners. He said the discussions concerned security guarantees for Ukraine and a broader European security architecture. That is a political description, not a fully worked-out agreement: the precise guarantees and the role of European countries have not been made public.
The United States plans to facilitate talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November. Reuters reports that the talks are to address ending the war, post-war security and de-escalation. At the same time, Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on important conditions, according to reports.
The temporary ceasefire in Olesjky is presented by the White House as an example of limited cooperation. The White House says that almost 800 people were able to leave the city; the AP news agency likewise reports that hundreds of residents were evacuated. It has not been independently confirmed whether this local arrangement led to broader military calm.
For the Netherlands and other European countries, the key question is what Trump means by a deal that would affect the whole of Europe. It could concern security guarantees, sanctions or the future European security order, but there is currently no public proposal on the table for any of these elements. The new development is therefore primarily diplomatic: there are more contacts, but no demonstrable breakthrough in the war itself.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Trump met Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and publicly announced a possible major deal.
- There is no public agreement containing concrete arrangements on territory, security guarantees, sanctions or the European security order.
- US officials held separate talks with Ukraine, NATO and European partners.
- US-facilitated talks in Abu Dhabi are scheduled for 10 and 11 November.
Left
Arguments An agreement is credible only if Ukraine itself fully agrees and receives security guarantees; a quick deal that entrenches Russian conquests could reward future aggression.
Values International law, the protection of civilians and democratic self-determination.
Consequences A careless agreement could leave Ukraine vulnerable and weaken the security of other European countries.
Centre
Arguments The diplomatic contacts deserve support, but must be tested against feasibility, verification and the involvement of Ukraine and European allies.
Values Stability, institutional cooperation and a verifiable peace.
Consequences Phased agreements on a ceasefire, monitoring and security may be more realistic than an all-encompassing political deal.
Right
Arguments The United States should use its influence to end the war quickly, and European countries should take greater responsibility for their own security.
Values National security, deterrence and decisiveness in government.
Consequences A prolonged conflict costs lives and resources, but an agreement without credible compliance could give Russia room to exert pressure again later.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article's core is confirmed by Reuters, AP and the White House. Claims about a possible agreement are clearly presented as Trump's expectation; the absence of concrete arrangements and independent confirmation is explicitly stated.
- confirmed Trump met Kirill Dmitriev at the White House on 5 November. — Reuters and AP report the private meeting. source
- confirmed Trump said a possible agreement would cover more than Ukraine and possibly the whole of Europe. — AP and Reuters describe this statement. source
- confirmed The ceasefire in Olesjky ran from 27 October to 1 November. — AP mentions this period. source
- confirmed The United States plans to facilitate talks in Abu Dhabi on 10 and 11 November. — Reuters reports these planned talks. source
- uncertain Almost 800 people left Olesjky during the temporary ceasefire. — The White House and Melania Trump give this figure; AP refers to hundreds of evacuees. The claim is therefore attributed to the sources involved. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Trump met Dmitriev and publicly announced a possible major deal. There is no public agreement or independent confirmation of a breakthrough; information about the temporary ceasefire and the evacuation comes partly from American and involved parties.Sources
- Trump meets at the White House with Putin envoy after he appeared with Melania Trump — Associated Press
- First Lady Melania Trump Unites Russia and Ukraine at The White House Following Historic Ceasefire — The White House
- Trump says he met Putin envoy, sees Ukraine deal soon — Reuters, via Internazionale
The story so far
- Thursday, 5 November 2026, 03:39 European countries prepare for peace talks
- Friday, 6 November 2026, 00:42 Trump promises major deal after meeting Putin envoy (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „oekraïne rusland”
- de Volkskrant — „oekraïne rusland”
- RTL Nieuws — „oekraïne rusland”