Trump says Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever” to peace after talks with Zelensky

President Donald Trump on Sunday said Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to reaching a peace deal, following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Florida resort. However, Trump cautioned that negotiations remain complex and could still collapse, potentially prolonging the war.

The meeting came after what Trump described as an “excellent” two-and-a-half-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump said he believes is serious about pursuing peace, despite continued Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Trump praised Zelensky as “brave” and said both sides had made progress, while acknowledging unresolved issues such as territorial control, security guarantees for Ukraine, and the future of Russian-occupied areas. Zelensky said Ukraine is “ready for peace” and thanked Trump for his efforts.

After their talks, Trump and Zelensky held a joint call with several European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of France, Germany, the UK, Finland and Poland.

Trump said he plans to speak again with Putin soon. The Kremlin confirmed the earlier Trump-Putin call, describing it as “friendly” and saying further discussions were expected. However, Russia reiterated that Kyiv must make major political decisions regarding eastern Ukraine for hostilities to fully cease.

The diplomatic efforts unfolded amid renewed violence. Russian strikes hit residential areas in eastern Ukraine overnight, killing at least one person, while missile and drone attacks on Kyiv a day earlier left at least one dead and dozens injured.

Trump acknowledged the possibility that talks could fail but said clarity could emerge within weeks. He pointed to recent progress by negotiators, including discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine and a draft peace proposal that Ukrainian officials say is nearly complete.

Despite optimism from Washington, significant gaps remain. Moscow continues to demand recognition of its territorial gains and Ukraine’s abandonment of its NATO ambitions—conditions Kyiv has firmly rejected.