President Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago marked one of the most substantive public steps yet toward a possible end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. While no final deal was announced, both leaders signaled that negotiations are moving closer to something tangible. The tone of the meeting was notably pragmatic: optimistic, but grounded in reality.
As the conflict approaches its fourth year, the meeting underscored three central truths. First, meaningful progress has been made on a structured peace framework. Second, territorial questions remain the hardest obstacle. And third, the process ahead will be deliberate, multilateral, and far from instantaneous.
A Negotiation That Is No Longer Abstract
From the moment Zelensky arrived at Mar-a-Lago, Trump set an optimistic tone, telling reporters that the sides “have the makings of a deal” to end the war. That statement alone was significant. For years, peace talks around Ukraine have often stalled at vague intentions or competing red lines. This meeting suggested that negotiators are now operating from detailed documents, not just general principles.
After the meeting, both leaders confirmed that progress was made on a 20-point peace proposal backed by Zelensky, even while acknowledging that unresolved issues remain. Trump described the meeting bluntly and characteristically: “Our meeting was excellent, we covered — somebody would say 95 percent, I don’t know what percent — but we have made a lot of progress on ending that war.”
That framing matters. It reflects an approach focused less on perfect outcomes and more on achievable compromises. Trump did not promise an instant breakthrough, but he did emphasize proximity to a deal, saying, “We’ll see if it gets done, but it’s very close, certainly.”
The 20-Point Peace Plan: Structure and Substance
The clearest takeaway from the meeting was the degree of alignment around Zelensky’s 20-point peace framework. According to the Ukrainian president, negotiators agreed to “90 percent” of the proposal. Standing beside Trump, Zelensky said, “We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework … [the] 20-point peace plan [is] 90 percent agreed.”
That is not trivial progress. The meeting included not just the two presidents, but senior figures on both sides: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and top Ukrainian defense and diplomatic officials. This was not a symbolic conversation; it was a working session.
Zelensky’s proposal was drafted in response to a 28-point peace plan previously floated by the Trump administration, suggesting an ongoing back-and-forth rather than a take-it-or-leave-it approach. The framework includes several major components: U.S. and European security guarantees for Ukraine, a defined pathway for Ukraine to join the European Union, and the maintenance of Ukraine’s armed forces at their current strength of roughly 800,000 troops.
On the ground, the plan envisions halting fighting in Donetsk along current battle lines, followed by mutual withdrawals to create a demilitarized zone overseen by internal forces. Similar arrangements would apply in Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, while Russia would withdraw from Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv. The proposal also includes an ambitious $800 billion reconstruction and economic recovery plan for Ukraine.
Importantly, Zelensky said that the U.S. side agreed “100 percent” with the sections outlining security guarantees, and that the U.S., Ukraine, and European countries were “almost” aligned on joint guarantees. That level of agreement is notable given how contentious security commitments have been throughout the war.
Land: The Hardest Question to Solve
Despite the progress, Trump was candid about what remains unresolved. When asked about the “thorniest issues,” he pointed directly to territory.
“I think the land — you’re talking about — some of that land has been taken. Some of that land is maybe up for grabs, but it may be taken over the next period of a number of months — and you’re better off making a deal now,” Trump said.
This statement reflects a hard-nosed assessment of the battlefield reality. Russia’s long-stated objective has been to secure control over specific Ukrainian regions, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear he wants Ukraine to withdraw from all regions Moscow claims to have annexed.
Zelensky, for his part, reiterated Ukraine’s position without escalation. “We respect the territory which we control. And of course, our attitude is very clear,” he said.
The exchange highlights the central dilemma of any peace deal: how to balance Ukraine’s sovereignty with the realities of territorial control after years of war. Neither side is pretending this question will be easy, but the fact that it is being discussed openly suggests negotiations have entered a more serious phase.
What Happens Next: Process Over Pageantry
Another key takeaway is that both leaders framed peace as a process, not a single announcement. Zelensky confirmed that the U.S. and Ukraine agreed to meet again “in upcoming weeks to finalize all discussed matters,” adding that Trump would host talks, possibly in Washington, with European leaders and a Ukrainian delegation.
Trump echoed that sentiment, noting that the peace process was “not a one-day issue.” While he did not rule out traveling to Ukraine, he emphasized that the priority is completing the deal rather than making symbolic gestures.
“I’d have no problem with doing it,” Trump said of a Ukraine trip, before adding, “Would like to get the deal done and not necessarily have to go.”
Zelensky welcomed the idea of Trump engaging directly with Ukraine’s parliament, reinforcing the message that diplomacy, legitimacy, and public accountability all matter in the next phase.
A Moment of Measured Optimism
In a post after the meeting, Zelensky struck a tone that matched the overall mood: hopeful but disciplined. “I thank President Trump @POTUS and his team for the negotiations. I thank the United States for its support. Together, we must – and can – implement our vision for the sequencing of steps toward peace,” he wrote.
That word — sequencing — may be the most important takeaway of all. It suggests that both sides understand peace will require careful timing, verification, and mutual commitments rather than sweeping declarations.
In common-sense terms, the Mar-a-Lago meeting did not end the war. But it did something arguably just as important: it showed that serious negotiations are underway, that most of the framework is already agreed upon, and that remaining disagreements are being confronted directly rather than avoided.
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