President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States and Ukraine are "a lot closer, maybe very close" to hammering out a peace deal after spending the weekend in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago. The optimism comes with caveats, though. Both leaders acknowledged that the future of the Donbas region remains a thorny, unresolved question.
Framework Taking Shape Despite Complexity
Speaking at a joint news conference, Trump told reporters that negotiators made "very significant" progress on a framework to end Russia's invasion. The emerging deal includes security guarantees for Kyiv and a ceasefire along current front lines. Trump suggested it should become clear "in a few weeks" whether the diplomatic push will succeed, but he didn't sugarcoat the challenges ahead. "Thorny issues" over territory could still blow up the whole thing.
Zelenskyy described the agreed-upon security guarantees as "the key milestone in achieving a lasting peace." Trump went further, claiming the sides were "about 95%" there and indicating that European allies would "take over a big part" of the long-term security commitments.
The Territory Problem Nobody's Solved Yet
Here's where things get complicated. Russia currently controls most of the Donbas and approximately a fifth of Ukrainian territory, according to Western estimates. Washington has floated some creative compromises, including a "free economic zone" in Ukraine-held areas if Kyiv withdraws troops, and shared control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Zelenskyy, for his part, has insisted that any territorial concessions must be approved by Ukraine's parliament or through a national referendum.
The war has now dragged into its fourth year, making it Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II and displacing millions of people. Just days before the Mar-a-Lago summit, Russia launched large-scale missile and drone strikes that killed civilians and damaged infrastructure across Kyiv and other regions, according to Ukrainian officials and international monitors.
What Comes Next
Following the discussions, Zelenskyy posted on X that he thanked Trump for "a great meeting" and a "substantive discussion on all issues." He emphasized that "Ukraine is ready for peace," adding that negotiating teams will reconvene within days to continue the work.
Trump has made ending this war a centerpiece of his foreign-policy agenda. He's previously signaled openness to territorial concessions and floated various proposals involving occupied Ukrainian land and the Zaporizhzhia plant. He's also warned that the conflict could spiral into something much larger if diplomatic efforts collapse.