US President Donald Trump has declared that negotiations for a US-backed peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine are advancing significantly, stating a deal is now "closer than ever before." This assessment followed a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday.
Breakthrough on Security Guarantees
During a joint press conference, President Trump revealed that discussions on a critical component of any potential settlement—security guarantees for Ukraine—are nearly complete. He indicated the talks were "close to 95%" done, a point echoed by President Zelensky. The Ukrainian leader provided further detail, stating that a bilateral US-Ukraine security guarantee was "100% agreed", while a trilateral guarantee involving the US, Europe, and Ukraine was "almost agreed."
Mr Zelensky clarified that the proposed guarantees would mirror NATO's Article 5, meaning an attack on Ukraine would trigger a collective military response from the United States and its allies. This framework forms part of a broader 20-point draft peace plan, which the Ukrainian president said was approximately 90% agreed upon.
Thorny Issues and the Donbas Question
Despite the reported progress, both leaders acknowledged significant hurdles remain. President Trump identified "one or two very thorny issues" still on the table. A primary sticking point is the future status of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. The prospect of establishing a free trade zone in the area was cited as a particular "big issue" yet to be resolved.
President Zelensky reiterated a conditional offer made last week, stating he would be willing to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the industrial heartland if Russia reciprocates and the area becomes a demilitarised zone under international monitoring. However, he stressed that any such agreement affecting Ukrainian territory would require either parliamentary approval or a national referendum.
"If the plan will be very difficult for our society… our society has to choose and has to vote, because it's their land," Mr Zelensky stated. He added that organising such a vote would be logistically complex, though refugees abroad could participate. President Trump noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet agreed to a ceasefire to allow a referendum to take place.
International Coordination and Next Steps
The bilateral talks were expanded to include a conference call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaders agreed that President Trump would host European leaders and a Ukrainian delegation for further discussions in January, potentially in Washington.
Downing Street confirmed Sir Keir emphasised the UK's commitment to sustaining momentum and underlined the importance of "robust security guarantees" during the call. European demands reportedly include allowing Ukraine to maintain a substantial peacetime military and to pursue EU membership.
President Trump, who spoke with Vladimir Putin by phone earlier on Sunday, suggested Russia might contribute to Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, stating "Russia's going to be helping." He maintained that the Russian leader is "very serious" about peace, despite ongoing attacks by Moscow forces.
In the meeting's aftermath, President Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian and US representatives would meet as early as the following week to finalise the discussed matters, highlighting security guarantees as the key to achieving a lasting peace.
