Trump says talks to end Ukraine war have yielded progress, but hurdles remain

President Trump said Sunday he made progress on a plan to end Ukraine’s war with Russia after speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump and Zelensky met at the President’s Mar-a-Lago resort Sunday, where they had lunch and later spoke on the phone with a group of European leaders to brief them on their progress.

“We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework,” Zelensky said, standing next to Trump, saying it’s “90% agreed.” He added, “US-Ukraine security guarantees, 100% agreed. US, Europe, Ukraine security guarantees, almost agreed. Military dimension, 100% agreed. Prosperity plan being finalized.”

Among the major sticking points left to be resolved: the future of Ukraine’s Donbas region, which is partially occupied by Russian forces. Trump told reporters the issue was still unresolved, but “getting a lot closer.”

Trump said he would be willing to speak to Ukraine’s parliament if that would help cement a deal. He also said he could envision a trilateral meeting with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I see that happening, sure, at the right time,” he said.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump said he held a “good and very productive” phone call with Putin and that he planned to speak with him again after meeting Zelensky. Mr Trump said he is aiming to convene a meeting with Zelensky and European leaders in January. Zelensky wrote later in a post on X that the meeting will take place in Washington.

On Sunday, Trump and Zelensky spoke on the phone with a group of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

“We agree that security guarantees is a key milestone in achieving lasting peace, and our teams will continue working on all aspects,” Zelensky said. Trump said Europe would take over a big part of the security guarantees for Ukraine.

On Saturday, Moscow launched a massive airstrike involving more than 500 drones and 40 missiles targeting Kyiv and the country’s key energy facilities — a day after a Russian official accused Ukraine and its European allies of seeking to sabotage an agreement. 

“Russians are pursuing a campaign built on instilling exhaustion, cold, and fear,” Ukraine Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Telegram about the barrage, which killed one person and left about a third of Kyiv’s more than 3 million residents without heating.

Ukrainian officials have toiled over the last few weeks to revise a 28-point draft plan originally proposed by the US but seen as overly favorable to Russia. The latest version has 20 points, but Moscow has warned that the plan includes elements it won’t accept, including on the size of Ukraine’s post-war military.

Russia also wants guarantees against future eastward expansion by the NATO military alliance and on Ukraine’s neutral status if it joins the European Union, as well as clarity on the issue of removing sanctions and on hundreds of billions of dollars of Moscow’s frozen state assets in the West, according to a person close to the Kremlin.

Russia wants Ukraine to give up a fortress belt of territory in the eastern Donetsk region that Moscow has failed to take by force. Zelensky rejects that demand though he has said he’s ready to agree to a demilitarized zone in the area provided Russia also pulled back its forces, something Moscow is unlikely to accept.

While there are still many hurdles to overcome before a possible peace is reached, serious conversations to get there are being held.