Trump says Ukraine will "end up with a little bit different shape" after the war and the U.S. "got nothing" for its weapons; the Kremlin agrees, and Zelenskyy rejects ceding land
Trump told 60 Minutes on November 8, 2026, that a deal would leave Ukraine with "a little bit different shape" and that the U.S. "got nothing" for its weapons. The Kremlin agreed. Zelenskyy and James Stavridis objected to trading land for peace.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
The interview aired two days before Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Abu Dhabi for talks mediated by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, their first face-to-face talks in nine months. Russia has demanded that Ukraine give up the parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Russian forces have not captured, and Kyiv has refused.
In the same answer, Trump repeated his figure that President Joe Biden gave Ukraine $350 billion in cash and weapons, and said that under his administration Europe buys the weapons at full price. FactCheck.org has called the $350 billion figure false, citing a special inspector general's finding that nearly $183 billion, not counting a $20 billion loan, was made available for aid to Ukraine during the Biden administration.
People in this case
Donald TrumpDirectly involved
Timeline
2 timeline entries on this page. Dates: November 8, 2026 to November 10, 2026
November 2026
Trump tells 60 Minutes that Ukraine will "end up with a little bit different shape"
Incident
In an interview with Ross Douthat broadcast on CBS's 60 Minutes, Trump says the United States supplied Ukraine with weapons and "got nothing for it." Asked whether he expects a free and independent Ukraine, he says a deal will happen and Ukraine will end up with "a little bit different shape." He also says "there was great disrespect shown to Russia" when Putin and Zelenskyy first met.
[01]CBS News
CBS News transcript of the 60 Minutes interview broadcast November 8, 2026. In the Ukraine exchange, Trump talks about his relations with Putin and Zelenskyy, the weapons the United States supplied, the coming talks and the shape Ukraine will have after a deal, then answers questions about Starlink.
Read the full transcript of Ross Douthat's interview with President Trump · CBS NewsTranscript, exchange on the war in Ukraine, from "You came into office promising to make peace in Ukraine"[02]Ukraine will likely 'end up with a little bit different shape' after war, Trump tells 60 Minutes
Kyiv Independent report on the Ukraine section of Trump's 60 Minutes interview, quoting his remarks on the coming Abu Dhabi talks, the weapons sent to Ukraine, Putin and Zelenskyy, and Starlink.
[03]CNN
CNN's rush transcript of the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour of CNN News Central on November 9, 2026. Kate Bolduan plays the 60 Minutes clip of Trump on the weapons sent to Ukraine and Ukraine's shape after the war, then asks retired Adm. James Stavridis what he hears in it.
CNN News Central transcript, November 9, 2026: James Stavridis on Trump's Ukraine remarks · CNNCNN News Central, 7:30 a.m. ET half hour; the Ukraine clip and Stavridis interview at about 7:35 a.m. ETRussian and Ukrainian delegations hold U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators meet in Abu Dhabi for talks mediated by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, after a nine-month pause in face-to-face talks. The Telegraph reports that Ukraine rejected a U.S. proposal on the Donbas front line, and quotes a Ukrainian source saying the delegation never discussed giving up any territory Russia occupies. On November 11, Zelenskyy says the talks produced an arrangement to prepare a new prisoner exchange and a discussion of security guarantees.
[04]Ukraine rejects Trump's new plan for shared territory
Telegraph report on the first day of the Abu Dhabi talks, carried in full by Yahoo News. It reports, citing a Ukrainian source, that Ukraine rejected a U.S. proposal on the Donbas front line.
Ukraine rejects Trump's new plan for shared territoryFull article (The Telegraph, carried by Yahoo News)[05]Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Post on Zelenskyy's official X account summarizing his negotiating team's report on the Abu Dhabi meetings with the American and Russian delegations.
Zelenskyy's X post on his negotiators' report from the Abu Dhabi talks · Volodymyr ZelenskyyX post of Nov. 11, 2026, 13:14 UTC, full text
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
A deal to end the war in Ukraine is close, and Ukraine will "end up with a little bit different shape" once it is done.
What is disputed
Trump said this on 60 Minutes when Ross Douthat asked whether he expected the war to end with a free and independent Ukraine. He did not say which territory he meant. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine is already a different country in terms of geography. Retired Adm. James Stavridis said the remark probably meant Russia keeping the roughly 20 percent of Ukraine it holds in a land-for-peace deal.
Sources (4)
- Read the full transcript of Ross Douthat's interview with President Trump · CBS NewsTranscript, exchange on the war in Ukraine, from "You came into office promising to make peace in Ukraine"
- CNN News Central transcript, November 9, 2026: James Stavridis on Trump's Ukraine remarks · CNNCNN News Central, 7:30 a.m. ET half hour; the Ukraine clip and Stavridis interview at about 7:35 a.m. ET
Disputed claim
Joe Biden gave Ukraine $350 billion worth of cash and weapons, and the United States got nothing for the weapons it supplied.
What is disputed
Trump made both statements in the same answer on 60 Minutes. Ross Douthat replied that the United States got Ukrainian independence for the aid, and Trump said it had not gotten that yet. FactCheck.org has called the $350 billion figure false: a February 2025 special inspector general report found that nearly $183 billion, not counting a $20 billion loan, was made available for aid to Ukraine during the Biden administration.
Sources (3)
- Read the full transcript of Ross Douthat's interview with President Trump · CBS NewsTranscript, exchange on the war in Ukraine, from "You came into office promising to make peace in Ukraine"
- CNN News Central transcript, November 9, 2026: James Stavridis on Trump's Ukraine remarks · CNNCNN News Central, 7:30 a.m. ET half hour; the Ukraine clip and Stavridis interview at about 7:35 a.m. ET
- Trump Links Biden's Ukraine Aid to Pentagon's Iran War Funding Request · FactCheck.orgSections on the $350 billion figure and on replacing weapons sent to Ukraine
Response record
Responses
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Clear response filtersSources
(11)
Interview
Read the full transcript of Ross Douthat's interview with President Trump
Relevant passage: Transcript, exchange on the war in Ukraine, from "You came into office promising to make peace in Ukraine"
About this source
CBS News transcript of the 60 Minutes interview broadcast November 8, 2026. In the Ukraine exchange, Trump talks about his relations with Putin and Zelenskyy, the weapons the United States supplied, the coming talks and the shape Ukraine will have after a deal, then answers questions about Starlink.
- Author
- CBS News
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Zelenskyy's X post on his negotiators' report from the Abu Dhabi talks
About this source
Post on Zelenskyy's official X account summarizing his negotiating team's report on the Abu Dhabi meetings with the American and Russian delegations.
- Author
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Ukraine rejects Trump's new plan for shared territory
Relevant passage: Full article (The Telegraph, carried by Yahoo News)
About this source
Telegraph report on the first day of the Abu Dhabi talks, carried in full by Yahoo News. It reports, citing a Ukrainian source, that Ukraine rejected a U.S. proposal on the Donbas front line.
- Author
- Lily Shanagher, The Telegraph
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Trump Links Biden's Ukraine Aid to Pentagon's Iran War Funding Request
Relevant passage: Sections on the $350 billion figure and on replacing weapons sent to Ukraine
About this source
FactCheck.org article from March 2026 on Trump's statement that Biden gave $350 billion in cash and military equipment to Ukraine. It cites a February 2025 special inspector general report on the amount made available for aid to Ukraine.
- Author
- D'Angelo Gore
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Ukraine will likely 'end up with a little bit different shape' after war, Trump tells 60 Minutes
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Kyiv Independent report on the Ukraine section of Trump's 60 Minutes interview, quoting his remarks on the coming Abu Dhabi talks, the weapons sent to Ukraine, Putin and Zelenskyy, and Starlink.
- Author
- Lachlan Hyatt, The Kyiv Independent
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Zelenskyy's X post quoting his DR interview on ceding land for peace
About this source
Post on Zelenskyy's official X account with an English excerpt of his interview with DR, about the question of exchanging Donbas for security guarantees.
- Author
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
Zelenskyj: Rusland stopper ikke ved Ukraine
Relevant passage: Full article, in Danish; the question on Trump's remark comes after the section on Trump's mediation
About this source
Danish broadcaster DR's article on its interview with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the presidential office in Kyiv, published in Danish. He is asked about European support, the Abu Dhabi talks, Trump's remark that Ukraine could end up with a different shape, and Donbas.
- Author
- Karina Marie Lin Halskov, DR Nyheder
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Ukraine 'already a different country' geographically, Kremlin says
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Anadolu Agency report, carried by A News, on Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's November 9, 2026 news briefing in Moscow, where he was asked about Trump's remark on Ukraine's shape and about the Abu Dhabi talks.
- Author
- Anadolu Agency
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
"Imagine Saying That After We Were Attacked On 9/11": Michael McFaul reacts to President Trump's 60 Minutes interview
Relevant passage: Full transcript; the exchange on Trump's remark about disrespect to Russia opens the interview
About this source
Fox News Radio page with the audio and full transcript of Guy Benson's November 9, 2026 interview with Michael McFaul, which opens with the 60 Minutes clip in which Trump says disrespect was shown to Russia.
- Author
- The Guy Benson Show, Fox News Radio
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
CNN News Central transcript, November 9, 2026: David Sanger on Trump's remark about Russia
Relevant passage: CNN News Central, 9:30 a.m. ET half hour; the Ukraine clip and Sanger answer at about 9:35 a.m. ET
About this source
CNN's rush transcript of the 9:30 a.m. ET half hour of CNN News Central on November 9, 2026. Sara Sidner plays the 60 Minutes clip in which Trump says disrespect was shown to Russia and asks David Sanger how he took it.
- Author
- CNN
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
CNN News Central transcript, November 9, 2026: James Stavridis on Trump's Ukraine remarks
Relevant passage: CNN News Central, 7:30 a.m. ET half hour; the Ukraine clip and Stavridis interview at about 7:35 a.m. ET
About this source
CNN's rush transcript of the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour of CNN News Central on November 9, 2026. Kate Bolduan plays the 60 Minutes clip of Trump on the weapons sent to Ukraine and Ukraine's shape after the war, then asks retired Adm. James Stavridis what he hears in it.
- Author
- CNN
- Published
- Accessed
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- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Trump says Ukraine will "end up with a little bit different shape" after the war and the U.S. "got nothing" for its weapons; the Kremlin agrees, and Zelenskyy rejects ceding land
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/trump-60-minutes-ukraine-different-shape
The Dispute Index. "Trump says Ukraine will "end up with a little bit different shape" after the war and the U.S. "got nothing" for its weapons; the Kremlin agrees, and Zelenskyy rejects ceding land". First published: 2026-11-15. Last updated: 2026-11-15. https://disputeindex.com/cases/trump-60-minutes-ukraine-different-shape