Zelenskyy, Trump Open Talks in Florida on Ukraine Peace Deal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump began talks in Florida on December 28.
The Gaze informs about it, referring to Suspilne and CNBC.
Trump said the central focus of the meeting was bringing the war to an end, stressing that he does not intend to impose artificial timelines on the process.
“I don’t have deadlines. My only deadline is to end the war,” he stated. “I’ve settled eight wars, and this is the most difficult one. We’re going to have a great meeting. No other nation has ever made such an effort. I’m not setting any deadlines.”
The U.S. president described the negotiations as approaching a decisive moment, warning that the outcome could shape the war’s trajectory for years. “We are at the final stage of negotiations, and this war will either stop or continue for a very long time,” Trump said.
He also praised the work of his team, in particular U.S. Special Envissary Steven Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasizing that the results of their efforts are appreciated by both sides.
According to Trump, Ukraine could receive “strong security guarantees” under a future agreement, with European countries expected to play a formal role in the arrangement.
Ukrainian officials say the talks cover several draft documents, including a multilateral framework of security guarantees involving Ukraine, the United States, and Europe; a separate bilateral U.S.–Ukraine security framework; and an economic recovery plan aimed at post-war reconstruction.
Trump claimed that he believes there is political will on all sides to reach an agreement. “I think both presidents [Zelenskyy and Putin] want to reach a deal,” he stated, adding that after his talks with the Ukrainian leader he plans to speak again with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We will continue negotiations.”
Beyond security, Trump highlighted the economic dimension of a potential settlement and portrayed Ukraine’s reconstruction as a major opportunity. “There are great economic benefits for Ukraine also. They have a lot of rebuilding to do, and there is a lot of wealth to be had. There is great wealth to be gained there, and Ukraine has great potential wealth.”
The U.S. president was also asked about Russia’s recent attacks on Ukraine and explosions reported inside Russia. “I believe Ukraine has carried out some very strong attacks as well, and I don’t say that negatively. They probably had to do that,” he said.
The Florida meeting comes after Trump held a 75-minute phone call earlier in the day with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two agreed to establish separate working groups on security and economic issues and to speak again following Trump’s talks with Zelenskyy.
Following the bilateral meeting, Zelenskyy and Trump are expected to hold a joint phone call with European leaders.
As The Gaze previously reported, U.S. President Donald Trump is positioning himself as a key figure in negotiations to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.
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