Vladimir Zelensky and Donald Trump met in Florida. Photo: Reuters / Jonathan Ernst.
According to Reuters, Trump and Zelensky discussed ways to accelerate the peace process in the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
- Trump expressed confidence that he and Zelensky have "significantly come closer" to a peace agreement, although he acknowledged that the issue of Donbas remains unresolved.
- After the meeting, which took place at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, both leaders held a joint press conference, where they noted progress on two key issues: security guarantees for Ukraine and the status of Donbas. However, the details and timeline for finalizing the peace agreement remained unclear. Trump suggested that in the coming "few weeks," it would become known whether an agreement could be reached, adding that there are several "thorny" territorial issues.
- Zelensky reported an agreement on security guarantees, while Trump cautiously noted that the parties have progressed by 95% and expressed hope that European countries would "take on a significant part" of the commitments with U.S. support.
- After the meeting, Trump shared information about the progress with French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced plans to gather a "Coalition of the Willing" in Paris in early January to coordinate specific steps on security guarantees.
- Zelensky also expressed hope that it would be possible to soften Russia's demands for the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas. While Russia insists on full control over the region, Ukraine wants to maintain the current line of conflict as the border.
- Although both leaders agree that the future of Donbas is still undecided, Trump noted that discussions are moving in the right direction. The U.S. proposed creating a free economic zone if Ukraine agrees to withdraw its troops, but uncertainties remain regarding the implementation of this proposal. "It's a very complicated topic," Trump added.
- The leaders also did not disclose details regarding the security of Ukraine after the war, which Zelensky called a "key point" for achieving peace.
- Zelensky emphasized that any peace agreement must be approved by parliament or put to a referendum, to which Trump agreed and offered his assistance on this matter.
Preliminary Conversation Between Trump and Putin
Before the meeting with Zelensky, Trump and Putin had a phone conversation that Trump described as "productive." Putin's assistant for foreign policy, Yuri Ushakov, characterized the conversation as "friendly."According to Ushakov, Putin stated that the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire would only prolong the conflict and emphasized the need for a prompt resolution of the Donbas issue. Trump reported that the conversation lasted more than two hours and noted that Putin promised to assist in the reconstruction of Ukraine, including the supply of cheap energy, adding that "Russia wants to see Ukraine successful." Trump also mentioned his intention to reach out to Putin again after the meeting with Zelensky.
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant at the Center of Discussions
Among the topics of negotiation was the possibility of joint control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported the restoration of power lines at the plant after a new local ceasefire was achieved.Trump reported progress on the future of the plant, noting that it could "resume operations almost immediately." He also called it an important step that Russia had not conducted attacks on this facility.
