Can US President Trump fulfil his promise of ending the war, or is the conflict proving more complex than expected?
United States President Donald Trump pledged numerous times before returning to office that he would end Russia’s war on Ukraine within a day.
But last week, he admitted that the war had proved far more difficult to resolve than other conflicts.
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Meanwhile, the fighting continues, with swarms of drones launched by both sides hitting targets in Russia and Ukraine.
The battle for territory grinds on slowly but brutally in eastern Ukraine – both above and below ground.
There is also anxiety in Europe after Russian drones entered the airspace of two NATO members.
There is anxiety, too, at the level of support the US might offer in any confrontation.
So, a month after his face-to-face meetings with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, what is Trump’s thinking about the war?
And what is the strategy inside the Kremlin – and in Ukraine, and of its European allies?
Is there any prospect of ending this war?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Pavel Felgenhauer, analyst on defence and Russian foreign policy
Steven Erlanger, chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe for The New York Times.
Niall Stanage, White House columnist at The Hill newspaper
Published On 14 Sep 2025