US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that negotiations aimed at ending the Russia Ukraine war are moving steadily forward, though a couple of difficult issues still need to be resolved. His comments came after discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who welcomed the progress made during the talks.
Speaking at a joint press briefing following their meeting at Trump’s Florida residence, Mar a Lago, Trump described the interaction as highly positive and said the two sides were significantly closer to an agreement. He noted that recent conversations, including a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, had contributed to the momentum.
Trump avoided giving precise figures on proposed security guarantees but suggested that discussions were nearing completion, estimating that negotiations were almost ninety five percent settled. He acknowledged, however, that the future of the eastern Donbas region remains unresolved, describing it as one of the most complex aspects of the talks. Trump said the issue is challenging but expressed confidence that a solution is within reach.
When asked about the toughest remaining hurdle, Trump pointed to territorial questions, adding that Ukraine has shown remarkable courage throughout the conflict. He stressed that while Ukraine has inflicted significant damage, the time has come to bring the war to an end. Despite his optimism, Trump cautioned that the negotiations are intricate and refrained from committing to a specific timeline, saying clarity should emerge within the next few weeks.
Zelensky, for his part, thanked Trump for hosting the discussions and said Ukrainian and European teams will continue working together to finalise the outstanding details. He also confirmed that further meetings involving European and Ukrainian representatives will be held in the United States in January.
The two leaders also held a joint phone call with several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Zelensky said all sides agree that strong security guarantees are essential for lasting peace, while Trump added that Europe would take on a major share of responsibility for those guarantees.
