After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump announced finally that the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are taking the correct course and a treaty is ‘almost 95% finished’ at his Florida Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump referred to the talks as very fruitful and mentioned that security guarantees for Ukraine, one of the main conditions of the government in Kyiv, is virtually resolved. The two chiefs of state held a press conference after their private conversation lasting more than three hours, thereby indicating the great strides that have been made in recent diplomatic efforts.
Key Points From Trump-Zelensky Mar-a-Lago Meeting
Still, after everything, Trump insisted that there are still some important issues to be settled, the most important of which being the territorial questions in eastern Ukraine, mainly the fate of the Donbas area. He pointed out that although a peace plan of 20-points is about to be finished in many parts, the matter of ownership of the contested land still remains a very dividing issue between Kyiv and Moscow. Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s firm position on the territories it controls and presented a clear and continual statement of its territorial integrity.
Trump pointed out that the dispute could take ‘a few weeks’ to be resolved if all the issues were quickly settled, yet he still indicated that no deal was reached and that further negotiation was needed. He mentioned a very fruitful recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he described as ‘serious’ about peace talks, even though Moscow’s military actions were still ongoing.
Zelensky Thanked Trump
Zelensky expressed gratitude to Trump for the meeting and recognized that the peace map included all essential elements of a lasting agreement, like the security guarantees and financial support for the rebuilding. The two heads of state agreed to carry on with the technical work in the following weeks to come to an accord on the last disputed matters. The atmosphere is still optimistic, but analysts caution that Russia’s land claim and Ukraine’s self ruling statement are major obstacles that must be removed before a full peace accord is signed.
