Trump, Zelenskyy say Ukraine war peace deal is near as 20-point plan is 90% agreed, but thorny issues like Donbas remain unresolved. Photo: X.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said they have made “a lot of progress” toward finalising a peace agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, though they acknowledged that “one or two very thorny issues” are still unresolved.
Addressing a news conference following the meeting, Trump called the discussions “excellent” and said Ukraine was now “a lot closer” to reaching a deal.
“We’ve made a lot of progress on ending that war,” the US president said, adding that the outcome of the negotiations would likely become clear “in a few weeks.”
The remarks came after nearly two hours of talks at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where the two leaders discussed what they described as “all aspects” of a proposed 20-point peace framework aimed at bringing the conflict to an end.
Trump also repeatedly praised Zelenskyy during the briefing, calling the Ukrainian leader “brave,” and asserted that Russia “wants to see Ukraine succeed.”
Also Read: Trump Hails ‘Excellent’ Meeting With Zelenskyy, Says Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Is ‘Very Close’
President Zelenskyy said substantial consensus had already been reached on the proposed framework, stating that the 20-point peace plan was “90% agreed.”
He added that security guarantees between the US and Ukraine were “100% agreed,” although Trump offered a slightly different assessment, putting the figure at 95%.
“We agreed that security guarantees are a key milestone in achieving lasting peace and our teams will continue working on all aspects,” Zelenskyy said.
When the floor was opened to questions, security guarantees were the first issue raised by reporters. Trump reiterated his optimism but cautioned that complex challenges remain.
“I just think we’re doing very well. We could be very close or one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues. But I think we’re doing very well,” he said.
The US president stressed that progress had not been limited to a single day of talks.
“We’ve made a lot of progress today, but really we’ve made it over the last month. This is not a one-day process deal. There’s very complicated stuff,” Trump said.
Asked specifically which issues remained unresolved, Trump pointed to disputes over Ukrainian territory.
One of the most contentious points in the negotiations is the eastern Donbas region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to bring under Russian control as a condition for ending the war, despite Moscow not fully occupying the area. Ukraine has previously rejected such demands.
Speaking on the issue, Zelenskyy said Kyiv’s position is guided by domestic law and public sentiment.
“I have to respect our law and our people,” he said, referring to Ukraine’s sovereignty over its territory.
“And of course, our attitude is very clear,” Zelenskyy added. “That’s why President Trump said this is a very tough question.”
Ukraine, he said, holds “a different position to Russia” on the matter.
Trump was also questioned about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian control since the early weeks of the war in February 2022.
According to the US president, Putin is cooperating with Ukraine on reopening the facility.
“He’s been very good in that sense. He wants to see that open,” Trump said.
“He hasn’t hit it with missiles,” he added.
Trump, who said he spoke with Putin earlier in the day, insisted the Russian leader is “very serious” about achieving peace, despite Russian attacks on Kyiv launched ahead of the Florida talks.
The Mar-a-Lago meeting marked the latest phase in Trump’s year-long effort to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. During his campaign, Trump had repeatedly claimed he would end the war on the first day of his term in office.
Earlier in the day, before meeting Zelenskyy, Trump publicly highlighted what he described as a positive phone call with Putin.
Despite expressing confidence in the direction of the negotiations, Trump declined to offer a firm timeline for concluding a deal, emphasising the complexity of the discussions.
President Donald Trump, while voicing optimism about the state of peace talks on the Ukraine war, sait that the negotiations remain highly complicated.
Any eventual agreement would require approval from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy said US and Ukrainian negotiating teams could meet again as early as next week to finalise the remaining elements of the peace plan.
Also Read: Key Points From Trump-Zelenskyy Mar-a-Lago Meeting: Issues Remaining In Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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