Trump says Ukraine peace talks in ‘remaining levels’ after ‘productive’ chat with Zelenskyy
The US President said Ukraine and Russia were ‘getting a lot closer’ to a deal following a ‘terrific’ meeting with Zelenskyy, also claiming Vladimir Putin is serious about peace
Donald Trump has claimed peace talks are in their “final stages” after he met Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida on Sunday. Zelenskyy said a 20-point peace plan was “90% agreed” – although no timeline for peace has yet been offered.
Trump described his talks with Zelenskyy as a “terrific meeting” and said they were “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a deal. He also claimed Vladmir Putin is serious about peace, following what he described as a “very productive” 75-minute phone call with the Russian leader prior to his Palm Beach meeting with Zelenskyy.
Following their talks, Trump and Zelenskyy differed slightly on the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy described them as “100% agreed”, while Trump said they were “close to 95% done”.
Another of the main sticking points remains the future of the Donbas region, the eastern Ukrainian territory on the front line of the conflict. Trump described it as an “unresolved” issue, but said that they were “getting a lot closer” to an agreement, while Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s attitude is “very clear” on Donbas, and differs to that of Russia.
Trump acknowledged that Putin has not agreed to a ceasefire to allow any referendums to take place – which Ukraine says is essential for resolving issues over territory.
Neither Trump nor Zelenskyy offered any timelines for peace, instead indicating they would meet again in the coming weeks. Trump said Russia, Ukraine and the US could all meet “at the right time” – appearing to suggest that Putin “wants to see it happen” too, according to the BBC.
Trump had earlier told reporters that both sides were close to an agreement as he met Zelenskyy outside his Mar-a-Lago property in the Sunshine State.
“The two leaders want it to end,” Trump said, adding: “I think we can move pretty rapidly. Otherwise it’s going to go on for a very long time.”
Contrary to their infamous White House meeting back in February, Trump praised Zelenskyy, saying: “This gentleman has worked very hard, and is very brave, and his people are very brave.”
He added: “I do think we have the makings of a deal. We have two willing countries. We are in the final stages of talking.”
Asked whether he felt Putin was serious about peace, Trump said: “I think he is.”
Not everyone shared Trump’s optimism, with former Ukrainian diplomat Maria Drutska claiming Putin was trying to “sabotage things” by speaking to Trump before he met Zelenskyy, according to The Guardian. During their previous meeting in October in the White House, Trump backtracked on the delivery of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine after a similar call to the Kremlin.
Following Sunday’s talks, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the EU Commission, welcomed the “good progress” made between Trump and Zelenskyy.
“We had a good, one-hour-long call,” she wrote on X (Twitter). “Europe is ready to keep working with Ukraine and our US partners to consolidate this progress.”
She added that “ironclad security guarantees from day one” are “paramount to this effort”.
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