Ukrainian President and Trump Express Progress Toward Russia Peace Deal Negotiations

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have held talks in Florida, where they expressed optimism that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is nearing completion. The two leaders met at the Mar-a-Lago estate on Sunday, followed by a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day.

According to Trump, progress has been made in ending the conflict, which he described as “certainly deadliest war since World War II.” Zelenskyy stated that a 20-point peace plan unveiled last week is “90 percent agreed” and that US-Ukraine security guarantees are “100 percent agreed.”

The talks did not produce any visible breakthroughs on the sensitive issue of Ukrainian territory. Trump acknowledged that one or two issues remain outstanding, including the status of the eastern Donbas region. He noted that the sides are closer to an agreement on a US proposal to create a “free economic zone” in parts of the region.

Zelenskyy reiterated his position that the issue of territory should be decided by the people of Ukraine. He stated that different aspects of the peace plan could be put to the public in a number of referenda.

Following their talks, Trump and Zelenskyy held a joint phone call with key European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The US administration has been working on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine since January.

The negotiations have involved discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to those offered to other NATO members. Trump stated that the sides are “in the final stages of talking” and have the “makings of a deal that’s good for Ukraine, good for everybody.”

Analysts note that the talks have been ongoing since January, with some expressing skepticism about their success. Oleksandr Kraiev, an analyst with Ukrainian Prism, stated that the people of Ukraine are “quite cynical” about the US-brokered talks due to past experiences with Russia’s failure to uphold ceasefire agreements.

Source: Al Jazeera