A trip to PresidentDonald Trump's Florida resort by Ukrainian leaderVolodymyr Zelenskyyfailed to cement a peace plan for hiswar-torn nation, with Trump saying progress was made but "very thorny" issues remain unresolved.
Both Trump and Zelenskyy said the vast majority of a peace deal had been finalized after a day ofintense negotiationsthat also included an extensive phone conversation between Trump and Russian PresidentVladimir Putin.
"It's very close," Trump said of a deal, while later acknowledging that negotiations had been difficult and might not produce results. "It's possible it doesn't happen," he added.
Trump and Zelenskyy work on Ukraine peace plan at Mar-a-Lago
Among the toughest issues is the question of territorial concessions, or as Trump described it, "the land." Ukrainian leaders have resisted ceding land to Russia, but Trump said their position could weaken.
"Some of that land may be up for grabs," Trump said. "But it may be taken over the next period of a number of months, and you're better off making a deal now."
Trump spoke with Putin before welcoming Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago
Zelenskyy emphasized areas of agreement between U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators in a 20-point peace plan that has emerged out of recent negotiations, reiterating his comments leading up to the meeting that they are aligned on 90% of the deal.
But he noted that the question of how to handle the territorial issue is a "very difficult question."
"We have to respect our law and our people," Zelenskyy said. "We respect the territory which we control."
One potential compromise on the contested area, in the form of a demilitarized free trade zone, remains "unresolved," Trump said.
While Trump and Zelenskyy projected optimism that a deal could be reached, it's not clear it Putin would accept any peace plan that emerges. Putin said in aDec. 19 news conferencethat Russia's terms for ending the war haven't changed, and he did not show any signs of being willing to compromise.
Trump spoke with Putin before welcoming Zelenskyy to his Mar-a-Lago resort, describing the callin a social media postas "very productive." The president said he planned to call Putin again after his talk with Zelenskyy.
See life in Ukraine after more than three years of war with Russia
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said after the call between Trump and Putin that the two leaders do not support a push by Ukrainian and European officials for a temporary ceasefire ahead of a final deal. Trump earlier in the day brushed off a question about whether Russia's continued bombardment of Ukraine raised doubts about whether Putin is serious about peace.
"He's very serious," Trump said of Putin.
Trump is trying to hammer out an agreement to end nearly four years of fighting after Russia invaded Ukraine, kicking off the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. The 20-point peace plan that negotiators are trying to finalize includes security guarantees to protect Ukraine from further attacks, allows the country to keep an 800,000-troop military, provides help for rebuilding the nation's economy, and crafts a plan for membership in the European Union.
Security guarantees are the most important aspect of the potential deal, Zelenskyy said ina Dec. 27 social media post. Asked about the provision the next day before negotiations began, Trump said that "nobody even knows what the security agreement is going to say."
"There will be a security agreement," he added. "A very strong agreement. The European nations are very much involved in that."
20-point proposal
Trump's latest meeting with Zelenskyy comes after a rollercoaster year of negotiations to end the war. The president came into office promising a swift end to the conflict, but a peace deal has proven elusive, and Trump haslashed outat both sides.
Trump and Vice PresidentJD Vanceberated Zelenskyy during a February meeting that ended with the Ukrainian leader beingbooted from the White House. He returned in August for discussions thatwent smoothly. Their latest encounter at Mar-a-Lago was cordial, with Trump describing Zelenskyy as "very brave."
Zelenskyy said the leaders discussed a follow-up meeting in January hosted by Trump that would include European officials.
Zelenskyy's second trip to the White House came after Trumprolled out the red carpet for Putinduring an Aug. 15 summit in Alaska. The Putin meeting didn't produce a breakthrough and alarmed European leaders, who then joined Zelenskyy at the White House.
Since then, Trump has applied more pressure on Russia withsanctionson the nation's two largest oil companies.
The recent flurry of diplomatic negotiations began last month. Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Putin in Moscow on Dec. 2 and had a phone call with Zelenskyy on Christmas Day.
The Trump administration crafted a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine that drew criticism as being heavily tilted toward Russia's interests. Ukrainian officials worked with U.S. negotiators to revise the plan, unveiling a new 20-point proposal Dec. 24.
The question of territorial concessions continues to be a sticking point, though.
A key point of disagreement is eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, where Russia has sought full control, including over lands still held by Kyiv. Ukrainian leaders want to halt the conflict at the current battle lines, but Zelenskyy has expressed openness to a proposal to withdraw troops in the part of the Donetsk region that Kyiv controls and create a demilitarized, free economic zone.
Leaders in the region have also disagreed over the operation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russia controls. The United States proposed a joint operating agreement between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S., but both Ukraine and Russia want to exclude the other. Trump said he discussed the power plant with Putin.
Russian forces gained ground in Ukraine during 2025, steadily seizing territory. The day before Zelenskyy and Trump met, Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles and drones on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump and Zelenskyy say deal is close, but 'thorny' issues remain
