President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov, File)2025-04-19T04:01:29Z During his campaign, Donald Trump said repeatedly that he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine in 24 hours upon taking office. He has changed his tone since becoming president again. As various U.S. emissaries have held talks looking for an end to the war, both Trump and his top officials have become more reserved about the prospects of a peace deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday suggested the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations altogether without more progress, adding a comment that sounded like a repudiation of the presidents old comments. No ones saying this can be done in 12 hours, he told reporters. The promises made by presidential candidates are often felled by the realities of governing. But Trumps shift is noteworthy given his prior term as president and his long histories with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House on Friday did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Trumps evolving deadline comments.Heres a look at Trumps evolution on the way he talks about the Russia-Ukraine war: A very easy negotiation MARCH 2023: Theres a very easy negotiation to take place. But I dont want to tell you what it is because then I cant use that negotiation; itll never work, Trump told Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, claiming that he could solve the war in 24 hours if he were back in the White House. But its a very easy negotiation to take place. I will have it solved within one day, a peace between them, Trump said of the war, which at that point had been ongoing for more than a year since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.MAY 2023: Theyre dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And Ill have that done Ill have that done in 24 hours, Trump said during a town hall on CNN. JULY 2024: When asked to respond to Trumps one-day claim, Russias United Nations Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters that the Ukrainian crisis cannot be solved in one day. Afterward, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said that a top priority in his second term will be to quickly negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.AUGUST 2024: Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled, Trump told a National Guard Conference. Ill get it settled very fast. I dont want you guys going over there. I dont want you going over there.After Trump wins in NovemberDEC. 16, 2024: Im going to try, Trump said during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club, asked if he thought he could still make a deal with Putin and Zelenskyy to end the war.JAN. 8, 2025: In a Fox News Channel interview, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg now serving as Trumps special envoy to Ukraine and Russia proposed a 100-day deadline to end the war. Friday marked 100 days since that interview. The 100th day of Trumps presidency is April 30. Trump becomes president and starts negotiationsJAN. 31: Trump says his new administration has already had very serious discussions with Russia and says he and Putin could soon take significant action toward ending the grinding conflict.We will be speaking, and I think will perhaps do something thatll be significant, Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office. We want to end that war. That war would have not started if I was president.FEB. 12: Trump and Putin speak for more than an hour and Trump speaks afterward with Zelenskyy. Trump says afterward, I think were on the way to getting peace. FEB. 19: Trump posts on his Truth Social site that Zelenskyy is serving as a dictator without elections. He adds that we are successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia, something all admit only TRUMP, and the Trump Administration, can do.FEB. 28: Trump and Zelenskyy have a contentious Oval Office meeting. Trump berates Zelenskyy for being disrespectful, then abruptly calls off the signing of a minerals deal that Trump said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending the war. Declaring himself in the middle and not on the side of either Ukraine or Russia in the conflict, Trump went on to deride Zelenskyys hatred for Putin as a roadblock to peace.You see the hatred hes got for Putin, Trump said. Thats very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.The Ukrainian leader was asked to leave the White House by top Trump advisers shortly after Trump shouted at him. Trump later told reporters that he wanted an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine but expressed doubt that Zelenskyy was ready to make peace.MARCH 3: Trump temporarily pauses military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to seek peace. Trump claims his 24-hour promise was sarcastic MARCH 14: Trump says he was being a little bit sarcastic when he repeatedly claimed as a candidate that he would have the Russia-Ukraine war solved within 24 hours. Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that, Trump says in a clip released from an interview for the Full Measure television program. What I really mean is Id like to get it settled and, Ill, I think, I think Ill be successful.MARCH 18-19: Trump speaks with both Zelenskyy and Putin on successive days.In a March 18 call, Putin told Trump that he would agree not to target Ukraines energy infrastructure but refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump had proposed. Afterward, Trump on social media heralded that move, which he said came with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.In their own call a day later, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy should consider giving the U.S. ownership of Ukraines power plants to ensure their long-term security. Trump told Zelenskyy that the U.S could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.APRIL 14: Trump says everybody is to blame: Zelenskyy, Putin and Biden. Thats a war that should have never been allowed to start and Biden could have stopped it and Zelenskyy could have stopped it and Putin should have never started it, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Talk of moving onAPRIL 18: Rubio says that the U.S. may move on from trying to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is no progress in the coming days.He spoke in Paris after landmark talks among U.S., Ukrainian and European officials produced outlines for steps toward peace and appeared to make some long-awaited progress. A new meeting is expected next week in London, and Rubio suggested it could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration continues its involvement.We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not, Rubio told reporters. Because if its not, then I think were just going to move on. Its not our war. We have other priorities to focus on.He said the U.S. administration wants to decide in a matter of days.Later that day, Trump told reporters at the White House that he agreed with Rubio that a Ukraine peace deal must be done quickly.I have no specific number of days but quickly. We want to get it done, he said.Saying Marco is right that the dynamic of the negotiations must change, Trump stopped short of saying hes ready to walk away from peace negotiations.Well, I dont want to say that, Trump said. But we want to see it end. ___Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP MEG KINNARD Kinnard covers national politics for The Associated Press. She lives in South Carolina. twitter instagram mailto