US and Ukraine ‘a lot closer’ on peace deal, Trump says after meeting with Zelenskyy

PALM BEACH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US President Donald Trump on Sunday, hoping to forge a plan to end the war in Ukraine, but the American leader’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly before the meeting suggests obstacles to peace remain.

Zelenskyy has said he hopes to soften a US proposal for Ukrainian forces to withdraw completely from the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, a Russian demand that would mean ceding some territory held by Ukrainian forces.

Just before Zelenskyy and his delegation arrived at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the US and Russian presidents spoke in a call described as “productive” by Trump and “friendly” by Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.

Trump says has ‘productive’ talks with Putin before Zelenskiyy meet

Ushakov, in Moscow, said Putin told Trump a 60-day ceasefire proposed by the European Union and Ukraine would prolong the war.

The Kremlin aide also said Ukraine needs to make a quick decision about land in the Donbas.

Zelenskyy arrived at Mar-a-Lago early on Sunday afternoon, as Russian air raids pile pressure on Kyiv.

Russia hit the capital and other parts of Ukraine with hundreds of missiles and drones on Saturday, knocking out power and heat in parts of Kyiv.

Zelenskyy has described the weekend attacks as Russia’s response to the US-brokered peace efforts, but Trump on Sunday said he believes Putin and Zelenskyy are serious about peace.

“I do think we have the makings of a deal,” Trump said. “We have two willing countries. We are in the final stages of talking,” Trump said.

The US president said he will call Putin again after meeting with Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy had previously told journalists he plans to discuss the fate of the contested Donbas region with Trump, as well as the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and other topics.

Moscow has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine yield all of the Donbas, even areas still under Kyiv’s control, and Russian officials have objected to other parts of the latest proposal, sparking doubts about whether Putin would accept whatever Sunday’s talks might produce.

Putin said on Saturday Moscow would continue waging its war if Kyiv did not seek a quick peace.

Russia has steadily advanced on the battlefield in recent months, claiming control over several more settlements on Sunday.

A recent poll suggests Ukrainian voters may reject the plan.

Zelenskyy’s in-person meeting with Trump follows weeks of diplomatic efforts. European allies, while at times cut out of the loop, have stepped up efforts to sketch out the contours of a post-war security guarantee for Kyiv that the United States would support.

On Sunday, ahead of his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy said he held a detailed phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.