Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have said progress was made toward ending the war in Ukraine during talks in Florida, though both acknowledged that major obstacles remain, particularly over territorial disputes and security guarantees.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, the US president described the discussions as “great” but cautioned that “one or two very thorny issues” were yet to be resolved. Chief among them, he said, was the question of territory, as Russia continues to demand that Ukraine relinquish additional land.
Zelensky said the talks had yielded substantial gains, revealing that Kyiv and Washington had agreed on about 90% of a proposed 20-point peace plan. Trump, for his part, said discussions around security guarantees for Ukraine were “close to 95% done,” though he stopped short of committing to specific measures such as troop deployments or logistical support.
“We had a substantive conversation on all issues and highly value the progress that the Ukrainian and American teams have made over the past weeks,” Zelensky said in a statement posted on Telegram. He added that US and Ukrainian teams would meet again next week to continue negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory. Trump noted that proposals surrounding the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine remain unresolved. Moscow controls roughly 75% of the Donetsk region and nearly all of neighbouring Luhansk, together known as Donbas.
“A proposal to turn Donbas into a demilitarised zone is still unresolved,” Trump said, acknowledging the complexity of the issue. Russia wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining parts of the region under Kyiv’s control, while Ukraine has suggested the area could function as a free economic zone overseen by Ukrainian forces.
Trump has previously sent mixed signals over Ukraine’s territorial losses, at one point suggesting Kyiv might reclaim occupied land before later reversing that position. “That is a very tough issue,” he said. “One that will get resolved.”
The US president also floated the idea of trilateral talks involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine, saying such discussions could take place “at the right time.” However, he warned that negotiations could still stall or collapse, allowing the conflict to continue.
Earlier, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the Kremlin said was initiated by the US leader. Russian foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said both leaders discussed proposals from the EU and Ukraine and agreed that a temporary ceasefire could prolong the conflict rather than resolve it.
Despite the cautious tone, European leaders welcomed signs of progress. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the Florida talks while stressing the need for “ironclad security guarantees” for Ukraine from the outset. French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv’s allies would meet in Paris early next year to finalise concrete commitments.
As diplomatic efforts intensify, both Washington and Kyiv have signalled optimism tempered by realism, acknowledging that while significant ground has been covered, the most sensitive issues of land and long-term security remain to be settled.
Melissa Enoch
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