US President Donald Trump has said a deal to end the war in Ukraine is “closer than ever” but admitted that “thorny” questions over the future of the eastern Donbas region have yet to be resolved, following a two-hour meeting on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida.
Trump said a draft agreement to end the war was nearly “95% done”. “I really think we are closer than ever with both sides,” he said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin also wants to “see it happen”. The US president acknowledged there were “one or two tough” outstanding issues over territory and how the war might end, and expressed sympathy with Russia not wanting a ceasefire. “You have to understand the other side,” he said.
Trump also offered to travel to Kyiv to address Ukraine’s parliament ahead of a possible vote on a peace plan, though he said he thought this would probably not be necessary. “You are welcome always,” Zelenskyy interjected. Zelenskyy repeatedly thanked Trump and paid tribute to his US team, including envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Despite the positive optics, there were few signs that a genuine agreement was imminent. When asked about the status of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, occupied since the start of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, Trump gave a confused answer and said Putin was no longer bombing it. The meeting took place just hours after Trump held a lengthy phone call with Russia’s president.
“The two leaders want it to end,” Trump said, adding: “I think we can move pretty rapidly. Otherwise it’s going to go on for a very long time.” Trump praised Zelenskyy, saying: “This gentleman has worked very hard, and is very brave, and his people are very brave.” He added: “I do think we have the makings of a deal. We have two willing countries. We are in the final stages of talking.”
Speaking to reporters, the two leaders discussed the latest iteration of a 20-point peace plan and the unresolved question of the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Standing next to Trump, Zelenskyy said US and Ukrainian negotiators had made good progress in recent weeks with “90%” of the draft agreed. Writing on Truth Social before the meeting, Trump described his one-hour-15-minute call with Putin as “good and very productive”. Asked if Putin was serious about peace, Trump replied: “I think he is.”
