Donald Trump, the President of the United States (on the right), is seen shaking hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (on the left) on the 28th (local time) in Palm Beach, Florida. Palm Beach/EPA Yonhap News.
President Donald Trump announced on the 28th (local time) that after a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, they were “very close” to a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine. However, he added that “one or two very difficult issues still remain.” Although there has been progress, it seems clear that a decisive breakthrough has not yet been achieved. The leaders of the two countries stated that their negotiation teams “are scheduled to meet again in a few weeks,” hinting at further discussions. President Zelensky indicated that there is also a possibility of continuing talks with European leaders in Washington next month.
After a meeting that lasted about three hours, President Trump appeared at a joint press conference, stating, “We had great talks and discussed many issues,” and “made significant progress in ending the war.” He added, “A conclusion may be reached within weeks, or an unexpected problem might arise to break the entire negotiation,” highlighting that “one seemingly trivial item could bring the whole thing down. It has been a very tough negotiation so far.” He expressed willingness to visit Ukraine and address the parliament if it would help achieve a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine. While President Trump did not mention the specific progress of the agreement numerically, he said, “One might even say we are 95% there.”
President Zelensky stated that the two leaders discussed “all aspects” of a 20-clause peace plan and added that agreement had been reached on 90% of the overall plan, while achieving 100% agreement on security guarantees between the U.S. and Ukraine. “Security guarantees are a key milestone in achieving sustainable peace,” President Zelensky said. Before starting talks with President Zelensky, President Trump stated that “strong security guarantees for Ukraine” would be included in the armistice agreement. He explained that “there will be a security-related agreement—a strong agreement with deep involvement from European countries.”
President Trump emphasized that the future of the eastern Donbas region, which Russia is demanding Ukraine cede, is among the key issues and stated, “We are getting closer and closer on that issue.” The U.S. has proposed converting part of this area into a “free economic zone” after Ukraine withdraws. President Zelensky has suggested he might consider this proposal during negotiations if Russia agrees to withdraw partially from occupied territories.
During the talks, the two leaders had phone conversations for over an hour with leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Norway, as well as the Secretary General of NATO and the President of the European Commission.
President Zelensky mentioned that the U.S. and Ukraine negotiating teams would continue discussions in the coming weeks to explore the possibility of a peace agreement. It was also stated that President Trump plans to host additional talks next January with some leaders from Ukraine and Europe.
Regarding the possibility of a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine trilateral summit, President Trump replied, “It’s possible when the timing is right.” He mentioned having a two-and-a-half-hour phone conversation with President Putin, adding, “Putin strongly expressed his desire for a trilateral meeting to take place.”