Trump meets Zelenskyy: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flew from war-hit Kyiv to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Sunday, hoping to secure US President Trump’s approval for a revised 20-point peace plan aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After more than three hours of discussions in Palm Beach, neither leader announced a major breakthrough. Both acknowledged that ending the war, which began in 2022, remains complex and will take more time. Trump, who had earlier spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, continued to show a relatively sympathetic understanding of Moscow’s position.
Still, the tone of the meeting was notably warmer than some previous encounters. Trump praised Zelensky and said he believed peace could be close.
“I do think we’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” Trump said.
He added that US, Ukrainian, and European teams would continue talks in the coming weeks, possibly in Washington. Trump also said he expects to speak again with Putin, whose approval would be essential for any final agreement.
Here are the key takeaways from the meeting:
Trump meets Zelenskyy: Endgame or endless war
Trump meets Zelenskyy: Standing alongside Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said he had no fixed deadline for ending the conflict. At the same time, he suggested the current phase of intense diplomacy could be decisive.
“I think we’re in the very final stages of talking,” Trump said. “It’ll either end, or it’s going to go on for a long time, and millions of additional people are going to be killed.”
Trump admitted he is frustrated by the slow pace of negotiations. During the 2024 campaign, he had claimed he could end the war within a day of returning to office. Now, he says the reality is far more difficult, partly because he has not been able to rely on a close personal bond with Putin.
“There are one or two very thorny issues,” Trump said. “This is not a one-day process. This is very complicated stuff.”
He said clarity on whether peace is possible should emerge soon. “In a few weeks, we’ll know one way or another,” he said.
Trump meets Zelenskyy: Putin not present, but central to talks
Although Putin did not attend the meeting in Florida, his role loomed large. Trump spoke with the Russian leader for more than an hour before meeting Zelensky and said he would speak to him again afterward.
This pattern has previously worried Ukraine’s allies, as earlier calls between Trump and Putin have sometimes been followed by reduced US support for Kyiv. In October, after a similar call, Trump declined to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles.
This time, however, the meeting with Zelensky remained positive. Trump even praised Putin’s handling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, a major sticking point in negotiations.
“President Putin is actually working with Ukraine on getting it open,” Trump said, adding that not bombing the plant was “a big step.”
Trump said he believes Putin genuinely wants peace. “He told me very strongly. I believe him,” he said.
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Trump meets Zelenskyy: The difficult final 10%
Zelensky said that around 90% of the peace plan’s terms have been agreed upon, a figure US officials have also cited. Trump said he dislikes using percentages but acknowledged that the remaining issues are the hardest.
Key unresolved questions include the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and territorial concessions. Trump suggested it may be better for Ukraine to make land compromises now rather than risk losing more territory later.
“Some of that land has been taken,” Trump said. “Are you better off making a deal now?”
Zelensky has shown more flexibility in recent weeks, saying he would put any peace deal to a national referendum, as required by Ukraine’s constitution. However, he stressed that a ceasefire would be needed first.
Russia has rejected calls for a ceasefire and launched new missile and drone attacks on Ukraine ahead of Sunday’s talks. According to the Kremlin, Trump and Putin agreed during their call that a temporary truce would only prolong the war. Moscow also said Ukraine should soon decide the future of the eastern Donbas region.
Trump said after meeting Zelensky that progress is being made on this issue, calling it “one of the big ones.”
Trump meets Zelenskyy: A delicate personal dynamic
Since their tense first meeting earlier this year, every Trump-Zelensky interaction has been closely watched. While some discussions have been tough behind closed doors, none since February has turned openly hostile.
This time, Trump was openly complimentary. “This gentleman has worked very hard and is very brave,” he said of Zelensky.
Zelensky repeatedly thanked Trump during his remarks, a notable shift after earlier criticism from Trump and Vice President JD Vance that he had not shown enough gratitude for US involvement.
The Mar-a-Lago setting offered a more relaxed atmosphere than the White House. Trump even joked that Zelensky admired the venue.
“He walked in and said, ‘This place is gorgeous,’” Trump said. “I don’t think he wants to go to the White House anymore.”
Despite the warm words, the path to peace remains uncertain, with the hardest decisions still unresolved.
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