Progress Reported in Florida Talks on Ukraine War Peace Plan Amid Unresolved Territorial Issues
Talks held at Mar-a-Lago in Florida between former US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have produced significant progress toward ending the Ukraine war, although key thorny issues remain, notably concerning territorial status.
A major unresolved point involves the Donbas demilitarised zone. Currently, Russia controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory overall, including roughly 75% of Donetsk and 99% of Luhansk provinces.
Zelensky reported that around 90% of a 20-point peace plan is agreed upon. Trump stated that security guarantees for Ukraine were nearly 95% complete, although neither plan includes commitments on troop deployments or logistical support.
Ukraine is advocating for the Donbas region to become a free economic zone governed by Ukrainian forces.
Next steps in the process include upcoming US-Ukrainian talks scheduled for the following week. Zelensky also indicated plans for a White House visit in January that will involve European leaders. EU representatives have expressed support for the progress, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasizing the need for ironclad guarantees. French President Emmanuel Macron is also planning a meeting in Paris in early January.
Trump proposed trilateral talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine to occur "at the right time." He conducted a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin; Kremlin aide Ushakov stated that the call was initiated by Trump and suggested that EU and Ukrainian ceasefire proposals might prolong the conflict. Putin is reported to want Ukraine to succeed.
