PALM BEACH, Florida — United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to reaching a peace agreement following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort, while cautioning that negotiations remain fragile and could still collapse, prolonging the war for years.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Trump’s remarks came after a face-to-face meeting with Zelenskyy that followed what the US president described as an “excellent” two-and-a-half-hour telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began nearly four years ago.
Despite renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine as Zelenskyy travelled to the United States, Trump said he believed Putin remained committed to ending the conflict.
“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump told reporters during a late-afternoon news conference, repeatedly praising Zelenskyy as “brave.”
Both leaders acknowledged that major obstacles remain, including the future of Ukrainian territory currently occupied by Russian forces and the security guarantees Kyiv is seeking to prevent future invasions. After their meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy held a joint call with several European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland.
Zelenskyy expressed appreciation for Trump’s mediation efforts, saying: “Ukraine is ready for peace.”
Trump and Putin to Speak Again
Trump said he planned to hold another call with Putin following his meeting with Zelenskyy. Earlier on Sunday, Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Trump–Putin call was initiated by Washington, lasted more than an hour, and was conducted in a “friendly, benevolent and businesslike” manner.
Ushakov said both leaders agreed to speak again “promptly” after Trump’s discussions with Zelenskyy. However, he stressed that a “bold, responsible political decision” from Kyiv would be required, particularly on the contested Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, for a “complete cessation” of hostilities.
Meanwhile, fighting continued on the ground. According to Ukrainian officials, three Russian guided aerial bombs struck private homes in the eastern city of Sloviansk overnight, killing one man and injuring three others. The attacks followed a large-scale Russian assault on Kyiv on Saturday involving ballistic missiles and drones, which killed at least one person and wounded 27.
Despite the violence, Trump maintained that Putin was “very serious” about ending the war.
“I believe Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also,” Trump said, noting reports of explosions inside Russia. “I don’t say that negatively. Sometimes you probably have to.”
Talks Could Still Collapse
Trump cautioned that the negotiations could still unravel.
“In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other,” he said. “It’s been a very difficult negotiation. Very detailed. One issue you’re not thinking about could break it up.”
The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy highlighted what US officials describe as recent progress, with negotiators exchanging draft peace proposals. Zelenskyy said on Friday that a 20-point draft agreement was “about 90% ready,” echoing optimism previously expressed by US negotiators after talks in Berlin earlier this month.
As part of the discussions, the United States has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those provided to NATO members. Zelenskyy has indicated he would be willing to abandon Ukraine’s bid to join NATO in exchange for NATO-like protections against future Russian aggression.
‘Intensive’ Weeks Ahead
Zelenskyy said he also held talks on Christmas Day with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, describing the discussions as substantive but warning that sensitive issues remain unresolved.
“The weeks ahead may also be intensive,” Zelenskyy said.
Trump, who has made ending the Ukraine war a central foreign policy goal since returning to office, has acknowledged the complexity of the conflict. He has previously floated proposals for halting the fighting along current battle lines, implying that Russia could retain some occupied territory — an idea Kyiv has strongly resisted.
Last week, Zelenskyy said he would consider withdrawing Ukrainian troops from parts of the eastern industrial region if Russia also pulled back and the area was converted into a demilitarised zone under international supervision.
Russia’s Demands Remain Firm
Putin has insisted that Russia retain all territory seized in four Ukrainian regions, as well as Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. He has also demanded that Ukraine withdraw from areas still under Kyiv’s control, abandon its NATO ambitions, limit the size of its armed forces, and grant official status to the Russian language — conditions Ukraine has rejected.
The Kremlin has warned it would consider NATO troop deployments in Ukraine as legitimate targets. Ushakov told Russia’s Kommersant newspaper this month that Russian police and national guard forces would remain in parts of Donetsk even if the region were designated a demilitarised zone.
Ushakov also cautioned that reaching a compromise could take considerable time, saying US proposals accommodating Russian demands had been weakened by changes suggested by Ukraine and its European allies.
According to the Associated Press, Trump has shown some openness to Putin’s position, arguing that Moscow could be persuaded to end the war if Kyiv agrees to cede territory in the Donbas region and if Western nations offer economic incentives to reintegrate Russia into the global economy.
