Palm Beach, Florida: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that negotiations to end the war in Ukraine are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” following an extended meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Both leaders confirmed substantial progress on core elements of a peace framework, while acknowledging that the future of the Donbas region remains the most difficult unresolved issue.
Speaking at a joint news conference, Trump said talks had advanced on two of the most contentious pillars of the negotiations — security guarantees for Ukraine and the territorial arrangements in eastern Ukraine. However, he cautioned that “thorny issues” around territory still need to be settled and declined to set a firm deadline, saying it would become clear “in a few weeks” whether the talks would succeed.
Security Guarantees Near Agreement
Zelensky said negotiators have effectively reached agreement on security guarantees, describing them as the “key milestone in achieving a lasting peace.” Trump struck a slightly more cautious note, saying the sides were “95 percent” of the way to a deal on guarantees, with European countries expected to “take over a big part” of the responsibility, backed by the United States.
Following the talks, French President Emmanuel Macron said progress had been made on security guarantees and announced that countries in the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” would meet in Paris in early January to finalise their concrete contributions to Ukraine’s post-war security architecture.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was ready to continue working closely with Kyiv and Washington, stressing that “ironclad security guarantees” would be of paramount importance.
Donbas Remains the Hardest Question
Both Trump and Zelensky acknowledged that the fate of Donbas, much of which Russia has sought to seize, remains unresolved. Kyiv has consistently argued for freezing the map at current battle lines, while Moscow has demanded full Ukrainian withdrawal from the region.
Trump said discussions on Donbas were “moving in the right direction,” but admitted the issue was far from settled. “It’s unresolved, but it’s getting a lot closer. That’s a very tough issue,” he said.
As part of a possible compromise, the United States has floated the idea of a free economic zone if Ukraine withdraws from parts of Donbas, though officials have not explained how such an arrangement would function in practice.
20-Point Peace Framework and Military Provisions
Zelensky said Ukrainian and US negotiators had made significant progress on his 20-point peace proposal, which he said was now 90 percent agreed following the Mar-a-Lago talks. He added that the United States had agreed “100 percent” with the sections covering American security guarantees.
Under the draft framework, Ukraine would retain an armed force of about 800,000 personnel, while fighting in eastern Ukraine would halt along current front lines. Both sides would withdraw to create a demilitarised zone, overseen by international forces. The proposal also envisions $800 billion in international aid to rebuild Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure, alongside a defined pathway for Ukraine to join the European Union at a future date.
Zelensky said any final peace deal would require approval by Ukraine’s parliament or a national referendum, adding that legitimacy at home was essential for long-term stability. Trump said he would be willing to address the Ukrainian parliament personally if it helped secure the agreement.
Trump–Putin Call and Moscow’s Position
Shortly before Zelensky arrived in Florida, Trump held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump described as “productive” and the Kremlin characterised as “friendly.” Trump said the conversation lasted more than two hours, during which Putin pledged to help rebuild Ukraine, including through the supply of cheap energy.
“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said, adding, “It sounds a little strange.” He said he planned to speak with Putin again after his meeting with Zelensky.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin told Trump that a 60-day ceasefire proposed by the EU and Ukraine would only prolong the war, and that Kyiv must make a decision on Donbas “without further delay.” Russia has also reiterated that it considers any foreign troop deployment in Ukraine unacceptable.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant and Battlefield Reality
Trump said negotiators had also discussed the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with proposals for shared control and recent progress on power-line repairs following a local ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency. He described the lack of recent attacks on the plant as “a big step,” saying it could restart almost immediately.
Despite diplomatic momentum, the war continues to exact a heavy toll. Zelensky said Russia launched more than 2,100 attack drones, around 800 guided aerial bombs, and over 90 missiles at Ukraine over the past week alone. A day before his trip to Florida, Russian strikes hit Kyiv and other cities, knocking out power and heating in parts of the capital.
Russia currently controls all of Crimea, annexed in 2014, and claims control over roughly 12 percent of Ukraine’s territory, including about 90 percent of Donbas, 75 percent of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and smaller areas in several other regions.
Cautious Optimism Amid Continuing War
Trump said he believed both Zelensky and Putin were serious about peace, even as Russian forces continue to advance in some areas. European leaders who joined parts of Sunday’s discussions by phone underlined the urgency of ending what UK officials described as a “barbaric war” as soon as possible.
While major hurdles remain — particularly over Donbas — both sides said the talks at Mar-a-Lago marked one of the closest points yet to a negotiated end to the conflict, with the coming weeks likely to determine whether the near-agreements can be turned into a durable peace.
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