Trump says Ukraine war peace talks with Russia close to completion
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President Donald Trump said Sunday that peace talks aimed at ending Ukraine’s war were nearing completion after a meeting in Florida with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with both leaders citing major progress on a 20-point plan while acknowledging unresolved disputes over territory, ceasefire terms and Ukraine’s approval.
Trump and Zelensky spoke with reporters after their meeting at Mar-a-Lago, describing weeks of negotiations involving U.S., Ukrainian, European Union and NATO officials that brought a possible peace framework closer to the finish line, even as several high-stakes issues remain unresolved.
Trump said negotiations had intensified over the past month and suggested discussions were far further along than at any other point in the war, while warning that final agreements depended on the resolution of a small number of difficult issues.
“We could be very close,” Trump said. “There are one or two very thorny, very difficult issues. But I think we’re doing very well. We’ve made a lot of progress today, but really we’ve done it over the last month. It’s not a one-day process. It’s a very complicated thing.”
ZELENSKYY READY TO PRESENT NEW PEACE PROPOSALS TO US AND RUSSIA AFTER WORKING IN EUROPEAN TALKS
Zelensky echoed that assessment, confirming that negotiators largely agreed on the framework of a deal and crediting sustained diplomacy at several international meetings leading up to the Florida talks.
He said negotiations took place over several weeks in cities including Geneva, Miami, Berlin and at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, with U.S. and Ukrainian teams working toward a common peace framework.
President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on December 28, 2025, that a peace deal with Ukraine was close to being reached after talks in Florida, although disputes over territory remain. (Volodymyr Zelensky X)
“We discussed all aspects of the peace framework, which includes – and we have great successes – a 20-point peace plan, accepted by 90%,” Zelenskyy said.
Momentum builds in Ukraine peace push, but experts fear Putin won’t budge
President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands at Mar-a-Lago. (Volodymyr Zelensky X)
Both leaders said European and NATO officials were closely involved in the process, with a joint conference call held following the meeting attended by senior leaders from across the continent and international institutions.
Zelensky said the teams were expected to meet again in the coming weeks to finalize remaining issues and that Trump agreed to possibly hold further discussions in Washington with European leaders and a Ukrainian delegation.
Despite progress, territory – particularly the status of Donbas – remains one of the most difficult unresolved issues, with both Trump and Zelensky acknowledging divergent positions between Ukraine and Russia.
FINNISH PRESIDENT DECLARES RUSSIA-UKRAINE PEACE AGREEMENT CLOSER THAN ANY POINT DURING WAR
President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking at Mar-a-Lago. (Volodymyr Zelensky X)
Trump suggested that time could be a critical factor in negotiations, warning that delays could lead to further territorial losses as fighting continues.
“Some of that land has been taken,” Trump said. “Some of this land may be up for grabs, but it could be taken over the next few months. Is it better to make a deal now?”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke alongside President Donald Trump after their meeting at Mar-a-Lago. (Volodymyr Zelensky X)
Zelensky stressed that any final deal would have to comply with Ukrainian law and reflect the will of the Ukrainian people, which could require parliamentary approval or a national referendum.
“Our society too must choose and decide who should vote, because this is its land – the land of one person,” Zelenskyy said. “This has been our nation’s land for many generations.”
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Trump said polls showed strong public support for ending the war and reiterated his desire to end the conflict, citing the scale of losses on both sides.
“We want this to stop,” Trump said. “I want this to stop because I don’t want to see so many people die. We are losing a massive number of people – the largest, by far, since World War II.”
