President Donald Trump greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Seashore, Florida, Sunday afternoon for the following spherical of talks to finish the warfare with Russia within the Ukraine.
“We’re going to have an excellent assembly right this moment, I feel,” Trump informed reporters as he and Zelenskyy posed for images.
Trump stated he believes each Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Zelenskyyt are able to strike a deal.
President Donald Trump welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Seashore, Fla., December 28, 2025.
Jim Watson/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
“I do, I do. I feel he’s. I feel they each are,” Trump stated.
The president posted on-line earlier Sunday that he had spoken to Putin shortly earlier than this assembly started and deliberate to talk with him once more after the assembly ended. The Kremlin later confirmed that the decision had taken place, in accordance with Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov.
When requested what was his message to Putin in his name, Trump stated, “You gotta make a deal. You bought to get it carried out. Too many individuals dying, and I feel each presidents wish to make a deal. I do consider that.”
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy obtain questions from the media as Zelenskyy arrives for conferences at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago membership in Palm Seashore, Fla., December 28, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Regardless of vowing on the marketing campaign path to finish the warfare in Ukraine on day one, Trump on Sunday appeared to average expectations, telling reporters that he has no deadline to safe a peace settlement.
“I don’t have deadlines,” Trump stated. “I feel we’re in last levels of speaking, and we’re going to see, in any other case it’s going to go on for a very long time. It’ll both finish or it’s going to go on for a very long time.”
When pressed whether or not Putin is severe about peace, contemplating Russia’s relentless assaults on Ukraine – together with dozens of drone strikes on Ukraine in a single day, in accordance with the air power in Kyiv – Trump reiterated that he thinks Putin is “severe.”
“No, he’s very severe. I feel, you realize, I can say that. I consider Ukraine has made some very robust assaults additionally,” Trump stated. “Look, the individuals of Ukraine need it to finish, and the individuals of Russia need it to finish, and the 2 leaders need it to finish.”
Zelensky stated he got here to Mar-a-Lago Sunday to pitch the president on the 20-point plan. Main sticking factors stay, together with Ukraine’s push for stronger U.S. safety ensures, in addition to territorial disputes. But Ukraine has come ready with a major concession: Zelensky has provided the concept of a demilitarized buffer zone within the Donbas area in Japanese Ukraine, territory Putin has lengthy sought to manage.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Seashore, Fla., December 28, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
When requested in regards to the specifics of safety ensures for Ukraine, Trump lashed out on the reporter, calling the query “dumb,” however stated there could be a “robust settlement” to guarantee Ukraine’s safety.
“No person even is aware of what the safety information, settlement goes to say. However there will likely be a safety settlement. It will be a robust settlement. And the European nations are very a lot concerned in that will likely be very a lot concerned in that. They’ll be very a lot concerned in safety, et cetera,” Trump stated.
The president then pivoted to discussing the opposite peace offers he claims he’s made, hanging an optimistic tone that right this moment’s assembly might result in one other.
“We will have an excellent assembly right this moment. This gentleman has labored very exhausting, and he is very courageous, and his persons are very courageous. With what they’ve gone by, no nation, very not often has a nation ever needed to undergo this. So, we’re going to have an excellent assembly right this moment, I feel I am additionally calling President Putin again after the assembly and we’ll proceed the negotiation. Fairly advanced, however not that advanced,” Trump stated.
After the greeting, cameras have been briefly allowed inside into the bilateral lunch, the place officers from either side have been seated. The president had the press escorted out of the room and requested to have the chef put together them lunch.
The U.S. delegation current on the talks, per the White Home, included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chief of Employees Susie Wiles, particular Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff, Joint Chiefs of Employees Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum, White Home advisor Stephen Miller, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son in legislation.
