Trump Says Ukraine and Russia Are Closer to Peace After Zelensky Talks
Against a backdrop of renewed Russian missile strikes on Kyiv and the eastern city of Sloviansk, where the toll is measured in fresh casualties, a separate kind of engagement unfolded under the Florida sun. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, emerging to declare that Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal. Yet, in the same breath, he acknowledged the fragility of the moment, warning that a single unresolved issue could shatter the progress, leaving the war to drag on for years.
The meeting followed what Trump described as an “excellent” two-and-a-half hour call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This intricate diplomatic choreography—speaking to the invader, then hosting the invaded—highlights the complex and contentious path to ending a nearly four-year war. While Trump insisted Putin “wants to see Ukraine succeed,” the Russian leader’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, framed the necessary compromise differently, stating a “bold, responsible, political decision is needed from Kyiv” on the status of occupied territories.
The Thorny Core: Territory and Security
The central, agonizing trade-off at the heart of the negotiations was laid bare. Zelensky, whom Trump repeatedly praised as “brave,” has signaled a willingness to withdraw troops from the eastern Donbas region to create a demilitarized zone, contingent on a mutual Russian pullback and international monitoring. However, Putin’s publicly stated demands go much further: recognition of Russian sovereignty over not only Donbas but other captured regions and Crimea, limits on the Ukrainian military, and the abandonment of NATO membership.
Trump’s posture has shown some receptiveness to Russian territorial demands, arguing that ceding land in Donbas, paired with Western economic incentives for Moscow, could persuade Putin to end the conflict. For Ukraine, the counterbalance to such a painful concession is a robust, NATO-like security guarantee from the United States and its allies—a guarantee Trump confirmed is part of the discussions.
A Draft on the Table, But Gaps Remain
The leaders pointed to tangible, if incomplete, progress. Zelensky noted a 20-point draft proposal is “about 90 percent ready,” echoing optimism from U.S. negotiators. The weeks ahead are deemed “intensive,” with Trump pledging another call to Putin and European leaders being consulted. Yet, the remaining 10% encompasses the most explosive issues: the final status of occupied land, the nature of security guarantees, and the future of Ukraine’s sovereignty and alignment with the West.
The Unignorable Context: Ongoing Violence
The stark contrast between the Palm Beach talks and the reality in Ukraine was impossible to ignore. Even as Zelensky flew to the U.S., Russian attacks continued, a grim reminder that the battlefield shapes the negotiating table. This violence underscores the immense pressure on Zelensky and the profound skepticism any deal requiring territorial concessions will face among Ukrainians who have sacrificed so much.
The Mar-a-Lago meeting represents a critical, precarious juncture. Trump’s assertion that “we could have something” within weeks suggests a potential endgame is forming. But whether that something is a sustainable peace or a fractured accord that seeds future conflict depends on bridging gaps that still look like chasms. The world is left to watch, hoping the delicate negotiations can outpace the tragic rhythm of bombs and casualties, and wondering what price for peace, after all this time and bloodshed, will finally be deemed acceptable.
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