Trump Says End of Russia-Ukraine War 'Very Close' as Russia Resumes Strikes After Ceasefire Expires

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the end of Russia's war against Ukraine is "very close," expressing confidence that Moscow and Kyiv will reach a settlement.

"The end of the war in Ukraine, I really think it's getting very close," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for a trip to China. Trump said he believes there will be a settlement between Russia and Ukraine but did not provide details on the terms of any potential agreement or the status of negotiations. His comments echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim that the war is nearing an end.

President Volodymyr Zelensky cast doubt on such claims, saying Russia has shown no intention of ending the war and warning that Moscow is preparing further attacks. Zelensky condemned the renewed attacks and called for continued pressure on Russia, saying the strikes showed Moscow was not serious about peace.

A US-brokered three-day ceasefire from May 9 to 11 expired after Russia rejected Ukraine's proposal to extend the pause in fighting, according to Ukrainian officials. The three-day ceasefire did not hold entirely, and frequent intense battles along a 1,500-kilometer-long (932-mile-long) fighting front continued, although both sides appeared to have reduced long-range strikes against each other somewhat.

Russia resumed large-scale attacks after the ceasefire expired. Russian strikes killed at least six people in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, while more than 200 drones were launched overnight, hitting civilian infrastructure including apartment buildings, energy facilities and a kindergarten, officials said.