U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in discussions aimed at achieving a peace deal to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Sunday. Following the meeting, Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin envoy and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, praised Trump’s diplomatic efforts. He expressed that “the whole world appreciates President Trump and his team’s peace efforts,” while also criticizing what he termed “UK/EU warmongers” for their support of Ukraine.
According to Yuri Ushakov, an aide to President Vladimir Putin, Trump initiated a phone call with Putin prior to his meeting with Zelenskyy. Ushakov noted that the call lasted over two hours, during which they discussed several points related to the ongoing conflict.
During a press briefing after the meeting, Trump claimed that the negotiating teams are “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to a potential peace agreement. He stated, “We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things,” emphasizing that 95% of the issues necessary to conclude the war were covered. Despite the optimistic tone, significant challenges remain. The question of Ukrainian territorial concessions, particularly in the eastern Donbas region, has yet to be resolved. Russia demands Ukrainian forces withdraw from the entire Donbas area, while Zelenskyy has proposed a “demilitarized zone” instead.
Trump also reiterated his stance against an immediate ceasefire, which Ukraine has proposed as a step toward negotiations. He indicated understanding of Putin’s position, stating, “He feels that, you know, they’re fighting, and to stop and then, if they have to start again, which is a possibility, he doesn’t want to be in that position.”
Following the discussions, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude towards Trump and his administration for their efforts. He described the meeting as “a wonderful discussion on all issues,” highlighting the achievements made by both Ukrainian and American teams in recent weeks.
Zelenskyy confirmed that security guarantees are essential for achieving lasting peace, and both teams plan to meet again next week to finalize the discussed issues. He noted, “Ukraine is ready for peace” and expressed hope that, if negotiations proceed favorably, a settlement could be reached in “a few weeks.”
The ongoing conflict continues to escalate, with both sides exchanging long-range strikes as of Monday morning. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 25 drones overnight, with 21 being intercepted. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated it downed at least 112 Ukrainian drones during the attacks.
Amid these developments, Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukraine remains committed to its peace plan. He emphasized that while Ukraine has a clear vision for peace, Russia must consider its own approach to end the conflict. The situation remains fluid, with the potential for both progress and setbacks in the negotiations ahead.
