Zelenskyy and Trump Meet at Mar-a-Lago Amid Ukraine Peace Talks and Ongoing Conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former U.S. President Donald Trump met at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine, with Zelenskyy stating the plan is 90% agreed. Trump acknowledged one or two thorny issues remain, while Zelenskyy showed exasperation when Trump referenced Russia's desire for Ukraine to succeed. Officials described progress from the talks, although observers noted there was no material shift on major issues.
Zelenskyy said talks with the U.S. will continue the following week. Trump is set to host Ukrainian and European leaders in Washington in January, with the possibility of a trilateral meeting including Russian President Vladimir Putin. European leaders joined the call, with Ursula von der Leyen highlighting good progress and emphasizing ironclad security guarantees from day one. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and UK Labour leader Keir Starmer also participated.
Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev commented on social media platform X, and a separate call between Trump and Putin lasted just over an hour, described as friendly. Kremlin official Dmitry Ushakov stated Ukraine must decide on the Donbas region without delay.
Meanwhile, fighting continued around Ukraine, including intensified Russian bombardment of Kyiv. There was a fatality reported in Sloviansk. Ukraine contested Russian claims about control in Huliaipole and stated it struck the Syzran oil refinery. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Trump for the meeting, noting that discussions covered all aspects of the peace framework and that outstanding issues would be finalized in the following week.
