US President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine is “closer than ever”, while acknowledging that several major issues remain unresolved.
Trump made the comments after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Sunday. The meeting followed a phone call earlier in the day between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One of the most contentious issues remains the future of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Russia is seeking full control of the area, parts of which are still held by Ukrainian forces. Trump described the issue as “very tough” but said negotiations were moving in the right direction. Zelensky has floated the idea of a buffer zone or a free economic zone as possible compromises.
Another unresolved question concerns the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which is currently under Russian occupation. Zelensky has said control of the facility will be critical to Ukraine’s post-war recovery.
Despite the outstanding disputes, both leaders struck an optimistic tone. Trump said security guarantees for Ukraine were close to being finalised and that tangible progress should be visible “within a few weeks”. Zelensky said US security guarantees were “100% agreed” and that a broader 20-point peace plan was around 90% approved, calling security assurances the most important foundation for a lasting settlement.
European leaders have also been involved in the talks and welcomed what they described as “good progress”. The European Union said robust security guarantees from the outset would be essential to any durable peace agreement.
A further round of negotiations is expected to take place in Washington as early as January. Photo by The White House, Wikimedia commons.