Trump and Zelensky Hold Talks at Mar-a-Lago as Ukraine Peace Negotiations Advance

Florida, The Gulf Observer: U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said that progress is being made toward a potential peace deal to end the Ukraine crisis, following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, according to media reports.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Zelensky, Trump described the discussions as “excellent” and said that the two sides are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to an agreement. He emphasized, however, that a breakthrough is not imminent, noting the complexity of the negotiations.

“This is not a one-day process deal. This is very complicated stuff,” Trump said. “In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other. It’s been a very difficult negotiation.”

The talks reportedly cover several contentious issues, including a potential ceasefire timetable, the establishment of a demilitarized zone, management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and control of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky said that the 20-point peace plan is now “90 percent” complete and that the United States, Ukraine, and European partners have reached near-total agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump added that he believes the security component could be “close to 95 percent” resolved. Both leaders declined to specify the remaining unresolved issues, describing them only as “thorny” and “very tough.”

The meeting also involved consultations with European leaders, including heads of NATO and the European Union. Zelensky indicated that Trump may host him and European leaders in Washington in January, with the respective teams set to finalize discussions in the coming weeks.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump said he had a “good and very productive” telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, both leaders agreed that a long-term peace settlement is preferable to a temporary ceasefire, and Russia has accepted a U.S. proposal to establish two working groups focused on security and economic issues.

When welcoming Zelensky, Trump refrained from predicting whether a final peace deal would be reached before the end of the year.

This high-level engagement marks a critical stage in ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict, as U.S., Ukrainian, Russian, and European leaders work toward a comprehensive framework for peace.