On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy are “very close” to a possible agreement to end the war in Ukraine, though the status of the Donbas region remains unresolved.
The two leaders, speaking at a joint news conference following their meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, reported progress on security guarantees for Ukraine and on the question of the Donbas, a region in eastern Ukraine that Russia seeks to control.
Specific details and a timeline for a peace agreement were not disclosed. Trump suggested that the outcome of negotiations should become clear within a few weeks but noted that several challenging territorial issues remain.
Zelenskiy noted that an agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine has been reached, while Trump described the deal as 95% complete and anticipated greater involvement from European countries in providing support.
Following the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron commented that discussions had advanced on security guarantees and that members of the “Coalition of the Willing” would convene in Paris in early January to finalize their commitments.
Zelenskiy has previously indicated a desire to amend a U.S. proposal that would require Ukrainian forces to withdraw fully from Donbas, a Russian demand that would result in the loss of Ukrainian-held territory. Russia demands full control of Donbas, while Ukraine has expressed a preference for maintaining the current battle lines.
The fate of Donbas remains unsettled, as stated by the two presidents, though Trump stressed that talks are progressing. The U.S. has reportedly proposed the creation of a free economic zone if Ukraine exits the area, but the operational details are not yet clear.
Additionally, security arrangements for Ukraine following the end of the war were also not detailed, though Zelenskiy called them a “key milestone” for lasting peace. He added that any deal would require approval from Ukraine’s parliament or through a referendum, and Trump was open to addressing parliament to help secure the agreement.
