Trump and Zelenskyy Near Peace Deal Resolution Amid Ongoing 'Thorny Issues

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United States President Donald Trump has said he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.

But both leaders acknowledged one or two “thorny issues” remain unresolved.

The two leaders spoke at a joint press conference on Monday AEDT after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Trump said it will be clear “in a few weeks” whether negotiations to end the war will succeed.

Zelenskyy said an agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine had been reached.

In a recent statement, former President Donald Trump expressed a cautious optimism regarding a potential agreement, suggesting that negotiations are nearly complete. “We are 95 percent of the way there,” Trump remarked, indicating that European nations are expected to assume a significant role in this effort, with support from the United States.

Zelenskyy previously said he hoped to soften a US proposal for Ukrainian forces to withdraw completely from the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, a Russian demand that would mean ceding some territory held by Ukrainian forces.

Both Trump and Zelenskyy said on Monday AEDT the future of the Donbas had not been settled.

“It’s unresolved, but it’s getting a lot closer. That’s a very tough issue,” Trump admitted, acknowledging the complexity of the situation.

Against the backdrop of mounting pressure from Russian air raids on Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his way to Mar-a-Lago on Monday AEDT. The visit underscores the urgency of ongoing conflicts affecting Ukraine.

Just before Zelenskyy and his delegation arrived at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the US and Russian presidents spoke in a call described as “productive” by Trump and “friendly” by Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.

Ushakov, in Moscow, said Putin told Trump a 60-day ceasefire proposed by the European Union and Ukraine would prolong the war.

The Kremlin aide also said Ukraine needs to make a quick decision about land in the Donbas.

Prior to the meeting, Zelenskyy informed journalists of his intentions to address several critical issues with Trump. These include the contentious status of Ukraine’s Donbas region, the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and other pressing matters.

Russia hit the capital Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine with hundreds of missiles and drones on the weekend, knocking out power and heat in parts of Kyiv.

Zelenskyy has described the latest attacks as Russia’s response to the US-brokered peace efforts, but Trump said he believes Putin and Zelenskyy are serious about peace.

“I do think we have the makings of a deal,” Trump said.

“We have two willing countries. We are in the final stages of talking.”

Ukraine remains firm in its desire to maintain the current front-line positions as the map’s basis, reflecting the nation’s strategic priorities in the ongoing conflict.

Russia claims more battlefield advances

Russia has repeatedly insisted Ukraine yield all of the Donbas, even areas still under Ukraine’s control.

Ukraine wants the map frozen at the current front lines.

Russian officials have objected to other parts of the latest proposal, sparking doubts about whether Putin would accept whatever the Florida talks might produce.

Putin said he would continue waging the war if Ukraine did not seek a quick peace. Russia has steadily advanced on the battlefield in recent months, claiming control over several more settlements.