Trump Meets Zelenskyy as Ukraine Peace Deal Nears End
“So they want to end it like everybody wants. Russia wants it ended. Everybody wants it ended. So and we want it ended. I want it ended.”
President Donald Trump met Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago, as negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine appeared to enter a decisive stage.
The meeting followed a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, including a lengthy phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day, along with consultations involving European leaders and NATO officials. According to CBS News, Trump said ahead of the meeting that both sides want an agreement and stressed that “too many people are dying” for the war to continue.
Trump has repeatedly framed the conflict as the deadliest war since World War II, arguing that urgency must take precedence over prolonged stalemate. That framing was central to his remarks before Zelenskyy arrived in Florida.
.@POTUS: "Everybody wants [the war] ended… I want it ended because I don't want to see so many people dying." pic.twitter.com/pQ4q4lPhzy
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 28, 2025
Full Transcript:
Probably have to get their plan approved by parliament or by referendum of the people. You would think that they want. I know they had a poll that it’s 91% in favor of ending this war. So they want to end it like everybody wants. Russia wants it ended. Everybody wants it ended. So and we want it ended. I want it ended because I don’t want to see so many people dying we’re losing massive numbers of people, the biggest by far, since World War Two. So we want to see it ended Absolutely. Yeah.
That emphasis on ending the bloodshed has defined Trump’s posture throughout the negotiations, even as talks confront difficult political and territorial realities.
One of the most sensitive unresolved issues remains land already seized by Russian forces. Trump acknowledged that reality directly, arguing that delays could allow Russia to consolidate additional territory on the battlefield.
Q: "What are the thorniest issues still unresolved?"@POTUS: "The land. Some of that land has been taken… You're better off making a deal now." pic.twitter.com/X21Zz3Tt5E
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 28, 2025
Full Transcript:
In your mind, sir, what are the thorniest issues still unresolved after this? Well, 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 are you better off making a deal now look, let me tell you, they have been very brave. They fought very hard, and continue to fight very hard and do tremendous damage. But Russia would like to see it end, and Ukraine would like to see it and I think it’s time to end. And a lot of very brave people, a lot of people, they’re dead right now, unfortunately, because I’ve said, and nobody’s disputed it, that if the election weren’t rigged and stolen, 2020 you wouldn’t have had this war. Would have never happened, and it didn’t happen for four years. Never was even thought to happen.
As reported by CBS News, a revised 20-point peace framework negotiated by U.S. and Ukrainian officials is now under review by Moscow. Zelenskyy has said the plan is “about 90% ready,” though Russia has shown little indication it is prepared to compromise on territorial demands.
Additional reporting from The Express notes that security guarantees, demilitarized zones, and land concessions remain the most contentious unresolved elements of the proposal.
Despite those obstacles, Trump suggested that behind-the-scenes diplomacy has produced substantial progress, including direct engagement with Moscow and close coordination with European allies.
.@POTUS delivers remarks upon meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr @ZelenskyyUa at Mar-a-Lago: "We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin… and I do think we're getting a lot closer." pic.twitter.com/tIHjR0wko2
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 28, 2025
Full Transcript:
We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin that lasted for over two hours. We discussed a lot of points, and I do think we’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close. The President and I just spoke to the European leaders. They were President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Alexander Stubb of the Republic of Finland, President Carol noraki of the Republic of Poland, Prime Minister Jonas gar Storr of the Kingdom of Norway, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the Italian Republic. Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland. Chancellor Frederick Mertz the Federal Republic of Germany. Secretary General, Mark Rutte, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, President Ursula van der Leyen of the European Commission. We spoke to all of those great leaders. They’re all great leaders, and we had a great talk with them. After we were completed, we thought it was appropriate to speak with them, and our meeting was excellent. We covered. Somebody would say 95% I don’t know what percent, but we have made a lot of progress on ending that war, which is really the, certainly the most deadly war since World War Two, probably the biggest war since World War Two.
Trump echoed those same points later in the day, reinforcing his claim that negotiators are nearing an agreement and again underscoring the scale and stakes of the conflict.
He concluded his remarks:
We have made a lot of progress on ending that war, which is really the most deadly war since World War Two.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, urged continued pressure on Russia following renewed attacks on Kyiv, warning that the coming days could determine whether a deal is finalized before the New Year. According to CBS News, he stressed that sanctions, military aid, and diplomatic resolve remain essential to securing a durable peace.
Whether the apparent momentum translates into a ceasefire or a broader settlement remains to be seen. But Sunday’s meeting at Mar-a-Lago underscores how close the negotiations may be to a turning point, as Trump positions himself at the center of what he has repeatedly described as the deadliest war since World War II.
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I see the international money laundering flag…
There is zero evidence that Russia wants to end the war.
Europe doesnt want this war to end. They need the Russian boogeyman to keep their populations in fear. So the worst thing that could happen is for the war to come to an end.
True. Then too many of these governments will face domestic troubles they they created like the ‘woke mind virus’ that thought it was going to be a plus to allow Islam to enter their respective countries.
Russia (or rather Putin) wants to end the war, but only on /his/ terms. It’s not about ENDING it, it’s about WINNING it.
He’s already won. He’s walking away with territory and he won’t have to pay reparations.
Which the Russians are in fact doing. Ukraine is losing ground every month to the Russian gain of territory. If the Russians are able to achieve a breakout in the east or even sit on the precipice of it by getting past the last line of real defensible ground until the Dnieper River they won’t likely be willing to discuss peace until they control everything east of the Dnieper. Ukraine would be wise to swallow their pride, concede the lost territory under Russian control and start rebuilding while they can.
Wars ain’t about morality but about winning and victors write the history. Might very often does make right, ‘God favors the bigger battalions’ and Russia can afford to keep advancing and gaining territory. Ukraine can’t afford to keep fighting which is why they’re out ringing their bell asking for donations. In contrast Russia’s economy is doing ok and they are spending something like 7% of their GDP on military expenditures v Ukraine’s 30%+. Russia had many times the population of Ukraine even before the Ukrainian diaspora. Finally the minimum ‘draft’ age for Ukrainian conscription is still 25, which doesn’t seem to indicate they are serious about winning this dispute so much as they are about keeping the money spigot of Western Gov’t open and flowing to Ukraine.
Contrast this with what Biden (*spit*) did viz Ukraine during his maladministration, which was to funnel money in so he could get his kickback. Ardent catholic my arse.
It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we have a president interested in solving problems instead of perpetuating them for their own ends.
exactly
It’s easy to end a war. All you have to do is surrender.