President Donald Trump said Saturday that he believes the war between Russia and Ukraine could come to an end in the near future, offering an optimistic assessment of the conflict as his administration continues pursuing diplomatic efforts to bring the fighting to a close.

Trump made the remarks while speaking with reporters at a Halloween gathering at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on October 31. A reporter asked about Ukraine's recent attacks on major Russian oil refineries and whether Trump planned to discuss the strikes with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“We talked to him. I think that the war between Ukraine and Russia is going to come to an end in the not-too-distant future,” Trump responded.

The president's comments came as Ukraine continued targeting Russian energy infrastructure, including oil refineries that play an important role in supplying fuel and revenue to Moscow. Such attacks have become part of Kyiv's broader effort to weaken Russia's ability to sustain its military campaign.

Trump also addressed the possibility of bringing Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin together at the upcoming Group of 20 leaders' summit, scheduled for December in Florida. When asked whether he would invite the Ukrainian leader after extending an invitation to Putin, Trump responded, “I would. I would. No problem.”

The possibility of both leaders attending the same international gathering could create an opportunity for diplomatic discussions, although Trump did not announce a planned meeting or confirm that either leader had agreed to attend. Putin's participation also remained uncertain.

The president's latest remarks came one day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a more cautious assessment of the prospects for a negotiated settlement. Speaking after a two-day G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, Rubio said the administration was continuing to explore whether an agreement could be reached but warned against assuming a breakthrough was imminent.

“I don't know if negotiated peace is achievable in Ukraine. That's what we're trying to find out,” Rubio told reporters. “But I don't think anyone here is claiming that we're on the verge of a negotiated settlement.”

Rubio said senior administration officials, including Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff, have devoted significant time to the Ukraine negotiations. He also defended maintaining contact with Russian officials, arguing that reaching a negotiated settlement requires Washington to communicate with both Moscow and Kyiv.

The Atlanta gathering ended without agreement on several major international security issues, including Russia's war against Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov participated in the discussions, despite objections from several European officials over Russia's involvement.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering years of fighting, Western sanctions, and extensive military assistance to Kyiv. Trump has repeatedly sought to negotiate an end to the conflict, although major disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv have continued to complicate those efforts.

Trump's latest comments indicate that he remains hopeful an agreement can be reached, even as his own secretary of state acknowledges that a negotiated settlement is not yet within immediate reach.