PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS HIS PLAN TO END THE WAR IN UKRAINE HAS BEEN "FINE-TUNED," AND THAT HE’S SENDING ENVOY STEVE WITKOFF TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND ARMY SECRETARY DAN DRISCOLL TO MEET WITH UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS.

HE ALSO SUGGESTED HE COULD EVENTUALLY MEET WITH PUTIN AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, BUT NOT UNTIL FURTHER PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN NEGOTIATIONS.

HE EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE PROSPECTS OF A PEACE DEAL DURING THE ANNUAL WHITE HOUSE TURKEY PARDON TO MARK THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.

SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, US President:

“I think we're getting very close to a deal. We'll find out.”

HIS COMMENTS CAME AFTER U.S. ARMY SECRETARY DAN DRISCOLL MET EARLIER WITH RUSSIAN OFFICIALS FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN ABU DHABI TO DISCUSS THE EMERGING PROPOSAL.

AS THE TALKS WERE TAKING PLACE, RUSSIA LAUNCHED A WAVE OF OVERNIGHT ATTACKS ON UKRAINE’S CAPITAL, KILLING AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE.

AND A UKRAINIAN ATTACK ON SOUTHERN RUSSIA KILLED THREE PEOPLE AND DAMAGED HOMES.

TRUMP'S PLAN FOR ENDING THE NEARLY FOUR-YEAR WAR EMERGED LAST WEEK.

IT HEAVILY FAVORED RUSSIA, PROMPTING ZELENSKYY TO QUICKLY ENGAGE WITH AMERICAN NEGOTIATORS.

ZELENSKYY SAID LATE MONDAY THAT “THE LIST OF NECESSARY STEPS TO END THE WAR CAN BECOME WORKABLE."

SOUNDBITE (English) Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President:

"And I am ready to meet with President Trump. There are sensitive points to discuss, we have them still, and we think that the presence of European leaders could be helpful."

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON HAS SAID PEACE EFFORTS “ARE CLEARLY AT A CRUCIAL JUNCTURE.”

HE SPOKE AFTER A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH UKRAINE’S EUROPEAN ALLIES AND US SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY.