White House Press Secretary says Russia-Ukraine war could end ‘this week’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday that President Trump is confident in his ability to broker a deal with Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine, hinting that the three-year-long war could come to a close as early as this week.

“The president and his team are focused on continuing negotiations with both sides of this war to end the conflict, and the president is very confident we can get it done this week,” Leavitt told reporters on the South Lawn after returning from the Conservative Political Action Conference.

The remarks come as President Trump suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “has no cards” and should be excluded from peace talks with international leaders moving forward.

Leavitt noted that National Security Advisor Matt Waltz would be working “around the clock” throughout the weekend to finalize a deal. She also revealed that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been involved in discussions regarding a proposed agreement with Ukraine to harness its raw minerals.

“When it comes to the critical minerals, this is an important piece for the president. It’s very important for the president because it will recoup American tax dollars…
“And it also will be a great economic partnership between the United States and the Ukrainian people as they rebuild their country following this brutal war,” Leavitt stated.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the venture could generate $200 million in funds and establish a “vested” US security interest in Ukraine, pending legislative approval. The State Department reported that the US has provided $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since the start of the war.