US President Donald Trump is no longer holding Ukraine to a firm deadline for accepting the US-backed peace plan aimed at ending the war, he admitted on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “The deadline for me is when it’s over.”

This marks a shift from earlier remarks in which Trump had informally set Thanksgiving Thursday as a deadline for Kiev to agree to the framework.

However, Trump confirmed that US negotiators were making progress in discussions with both Moscow and Kiev, and claimed that Russia had made some concessions without elaborating on their nature.

The proposed Ukraine peace framework, first reported last week, has raised concerns in some circles that the deal may lean in Moscow’s favor. Trump’s remarks appeared to reinforce those concerns, saying that Russia seems to have the upper hand in the war and that it would be in Ukraine’s best interests to reach a deal.

He added that some Ukrainian territory “might be gotten by Russia anyway” over the next couple of months.

The 28-point document, Trump reiterated, serves as a general framework and remains open to modification. “It was just a map,” he said, indicating that the plan is not a final offer but a basis for ongoing dialogue. 

In this context, a Ukrainian official told Reuters that Kiev supports the general outlines of the framework following discussions with Washington in Geneva. However, the official noted that several “sensitive points” remain unresolved between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump.

Trump also announced that his envoy, Steve Witkoff, would travel to Moscow soon to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling a direct phase in the talks. He also revealed that Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and advisor, is involved in the current discussions as well.

Ukraine and European involvement

Diverting to the relevant stakeholders, Trump emphasized that security guarantees for Ukraine are being negotiated with European partners, reflecting broader international involvement in the talks. Despite public caution from Kiev, he claimed that “Ukraine is happy” with the trajectory of negotiations.

French President Emmanuel Macron had signaled firm reservations on Tuesday over the initiative for Ukraine, arguing that the proposal cannot be accepted in its current form by Kiev or European partners.

Speaking to RTL radio, Macron said the document, which surprised officials in Washington, Ukraine, and across Europe, includes elements that lean heavily toward Moscow’s preferences. While he acknowledged the effort as a step toward ending the war, he insisted that several provisions require substantial revision."

The French leader added that Ukraine must retain full agency over decisions involving its territory. "He added that only the Ukrainians could decide what territorial concessions they are ready to make." He further questioned the underlying balance of the US proposal: "What was put on the table gives us an idea of what would be acceptable to the Russians. Does that mean that it is what must be accepted by the Ukrainians and the Europeans? The answer is no."

Macron’s concerns mirror broader unease in Kiev and Brussels about the substance of Washington’s draft. The plan, which would cap the size of Ukraine’s armed forces, bar NATO bases or membership, and give Washington certain controls over frozen Russian assets, is widely seen as reflecting conditions more favorable to Moscow than to Ukraine.

Some leaked provisions suggest a freeze of the current front lines and a long-term limit on Ukraine’s military posture, terms that Ukrainian officials fear would lock in Russian territorial gains and leave the country vulnerable to future coercion.

Read more: Kiev says it backs US draft despite unresolved disputes