Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Visits Mar-a-Lago for Peace Talks
On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left the freezing, missile-tormented Kyiv for the frescoed dining room at Mar-a-Lago, where he sought President Donald Trump’s endorsement of a revised 20-point peace plan to conclude the war in his country. After more than three hours of discussions, neither leader revealed any significant progress in the ongoing effort to end the conflict initiated by Russia in 2022.
Both parties acknowledged the complexity of the process and its need for additional time. Trump, who had earlier in the day spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, maintained a relatively sympathetic stance toward Moscow’s positions. However, unlike previous interactions, Trump commended Zelensky and expressed optimism about the possibility of peace.
“I do think we’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” the U.S. president said.
Trump indicated that U.S., Ukrainian, and European teams would continue meeting over the coming weeks, possibly in Washington. He also anticipated further dialogue with Putin, whose approval would be necessary for any peace deal to materialize.
Key Takeaways from Sunday’s Meeting
Trump, following his handshake with Zelensky on the Mar-a-Lago steps, stated he had no deadline in mind for ending the Ukraine war. Yet, he implied that the current phase of intensive talks—led by his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner—could mark the final stages of negotiations.
“I think we’re in the very final stages of talking, and we’re going to see,” Trump said. “It’ll either end or it’s going to go on for a long time, and millions of additional people are going to be killed.”
Trump expressed frustration with the pace of peace talks, alternating blame between Zelensky and Putin for the stalemate. Despite his 2024 campaign promise to resolve the war within a day of taking office, he now admits it is more challenging than anticipated, partly due to his struggle to cultivate a warm personal relationship with Putin.
Sunday’s meeting, which concluded without major announcements, highlighted the persistent difficulties in reaching an agreement. Trump remarked, “There are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues, but I think we’re doing very well,” while noting that “we’ve made a lot of progress today, but really we’ve made it over the last month. This is not a one-day process deal, this is very complicated stuff.”
He reiterated a familiar timeline for clarity on the peace agreement’s viability: “It’s possible it doesn’t happen,” Trump said. “In a few weeks, we’ll know one way or another.”
Putin did not attend the meeting in Palm Beach; outside of his visit to Alaska to meet Trump in August, he has not been to the United States in years. His absence from Sunday’s talks did not diminish his influence, as Trump spoke with him for over an hour before engaging with Zelensky.
