A final deal to end the war in Ukraine may be imminent, according to Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to US President Donald Trump and his top counterterrorism advisor. Gorka told Politico on Thursday that both Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to be present at the signing of the agreement.

“At the end of the day, the final settlement will see my boss, President Trump, in the room sealing the deal,” Gorka said. “When the time is right, that’s when the president is in the room with Putin, but my expectation is imminently.”

Gorka highlighted the importance of timing in diplomacy and urged flexibility from all negotiating parties. “But you can rest assured that when the final ink is put on that piece of paper, President Trump will be the person, the man behind the art of the deal, who seals that deal and stops the meat grinder that is the war in Ukraine,” he added.

'Nothing going to happen'

Earlier on Thursday, Trump himself commented that “nothing is going to happen” on Ukraine peace talks until he and Putin “get together.”

Meanwhile, diplomatic momentum appears to be building. A Russian delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky arrived in Istanbul early Thursday for negotiations with Ukrainian representatives. According to a Turkish diplomatic source cited by RIA Novosti, trilateral meetings involving Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey are scheduled for Friday, along with separate talks between delegations from the United States, Turkey, and Ukraine.

The renewed push for a settlement comes amid growing pressure from international actors to bring an end to the prolonged conflict, which has dragged on since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While past attempts at negotiations have faltered, observers suggest the involvement of high-level figures such as Trump and Putin could signal a potential breakthrough.

Trump considering Turkiye visit if Putin attends

Trump has urged both parties to attend the Istanbul talks and suggested that his own attendance is still under consideration.

“(Putin) would like me to be there, and that's a possibility... I don't know that he would be there if I'm not there. We're going to find out,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Qatar.

Later, two senior White House officials confirmed that Trump will not visit Turkey this week, quashing speculation that he might join Putin at the negotiating table for ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine. The clarification was reported by CNN on Wednesday.

The White House’s confirmation narrows the scope of diplomatic engagement on the Russia-Ukraine front during this trip and reinforces speculation that Trump is reserving direct negotiations with Moscow for a later stage, possibly under more favorable terms.

He confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, would be sent to Turkey.

Trump is advocating for an immediate 30-day ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling it Europe’s largest land war since World War II. Zelensky has backed this ceasefire, while Putin insists that such terms should be addressed during the negotiation process.