Zelenskiy Meets Trump in Florida as Ukraine Peace Talks Face Russian Pressure
GeokHub
Contributing Writer
PALM BEACH, Florida (GeokHub) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday in Florida, seeking to advance a U.S.-backed plan to end the war in Ukraine, as diplomatic efforts faced fresh complications from Moscow and renewed Russian attacks on Kyiv.
The high-stakes meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence came just hours after Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin — a move that underscored the delicate balance Washington is attempting to strike between Kyiv and Moscow.
Zelenskiy arrived hoping to soften U.S. proposals that would require Ukrainian forces to withdraw fully from the Donbas region, a long-standing Russian demand that would effectively force Kyiv to relinquish territory still under Ukrainian control.
Trump described his call with Putin as “productive,” while the Kremlin characterized it as “friendly.” Russian foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin rejected a 60-day ceasefire proposal backed by Ukraine and the European Union, arguing it would merely prolong the conflict. He added that Moscow was pressing Kyiv to make a swift decision on Donbas and confirmed plans to establish joint working groups focused on economic and security issues related to a potential settlement.
The White House did not immediately comment on the Putin call.
Meeting Follows Heavy Russian Strikes on Kyiv
Zelenskiy’s visit followed one of the heaviest waves of Russian missile and drone attacks in weeks. Hundreds of strikes targeted Kyiv and other regions on Saturday, knocking out electricity and heating systems as winter conditions deepened.
Zelenskiy has described the assaults as Russia’s response to intensified U.S.-brokered peace efforts. Trump, however, said on Sunday that he believes both Putin and Zelenskiy are genuinely interested in ending the war.
“I do think we have the makings of a deal,” Trump told reporters. “We have two willing countries. We are in the final stages of talking.”
Trump said he plans to speak again with Putin after concluding talks with Zelenskiy.
Territory, Security Guarantees Remain Sticking Points
While Washington and Kyiv appear aligned on several elements of a peace framework, territorial concessions remain the most contentious issue. Russia insists on full control of the Donbas, while Ukraine wants any settlement to freeze current battle lines rather than cede additional land.
The United States has floated compromise ideas, including the creation of a free economic zone should Ukraine withdraw from parts of the region, though details remain unclear. U.S. negotiators have also proposed shared oversight of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, where power line repairs resumed following a localized ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Russia currently controls Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and claims to hold roughly 12% of Ukrainian territory following nearly four years of full-scale war. Moscow says any peace agreement must include Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, as well as Kyiv formally abandoning its ambition to join NATO.
Diplomatic Push Intensifies
Zelenskiy’s meeting with Trump followed weeks of behind-the-scenes diplomacy involving U.S., Ukrainian and European officials. European allies, though sometimes sidelined from direct negotiations, have accelerated efforts to outline post-war security guarantees for Ukraine that would carry U.S. backing.
Ahead of the Florida talks, Zelenskiy said he held a detailed phone conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump confirmed that he and Zelenskiy would also speak with European leaders during the visit.
Asked whether he was prepared to sign a security guarantee immediately, Trump dismissed the suggestion. “No one knows what the security agreement will say,” he said.
Zelenskiy’s relationship with Trump has been uneven in the past, but Sunday’s meeting signals a renewed push by Washington to broker an end to Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two — even as battlefield realities and geopolitical demands continue to complicate the path to peace.
