President Donald Trump greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Seashore, Florida, Sunday afternoon for the subsequent spherical of talks to finish the conflict with Russia within the Ukraine.
“We’re going to have an excellent assembly right this moment, I believe,” Trump informed reporters as he and Zelenskyy posed for pictures.
Trump mentioned 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 believe he’s. I believe they each are,” Trump mentioned.
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 keeping with Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov.
When requested what was his message to Putin in his name, Trump mentioned, “You gotta make a deal. You bought to get it finished. Too many individuals dying, and I believe each presidents wish to make a deal. I do imagine 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 conflict in Ukraine on day one, Trump on Sunday appeared to reasonable expectations, telling reporters that he has no deadline to safe a peace settlement.
“I don’t have deadlines,” Trump mentioned. “I believe we’re in closing 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 keeping with the air drive in Kyiv – Trump reiterated that he thinks Putin is “severe.”
“No, he’s very severe. I believe, , I can say that. I imagine Ukraine has made some very robust assaults additionally,” Trump mentioned. “Look, the folks of Ukraine need it to finish, and the folks of Russia need it to finish, and the 2 leaders need it to finish.”
Zelensky mentioned 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 big concession: Zelensky has provided the thought 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 mentioned 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 probably be a safety settlement. It will be a powerful settlement. And the European nations are very a lot concerned in that will probably be very a lot concerned in that. They’ll be very a lot concerned in safety, et cetera,” Trump mentioned.
The president then pivoted to discussing the opposite peace offers he claims he’s made, putting an optimistic tone that right this moment’s assembly may result in one other.
“We will have an awesome assembly right this moment. This gentleman has labored very exhausting, and he is very courageous, and his individuals are very courageous. With what they’ve gone by means of, no nation, very hardly ever has a nation ever needed to undergo this. So, we’re going to have an excellent assembly right this moment, I believe I am additionally calling President Putin again after the assembly and we’ll proceed the negotiation. Fairly advanced, however not that advanced,” Trump mentioned.
After the greeting, cameras had been briefly allowed inside into the bilateral lunch, the place officers from either side had 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 Workers Susie Wiles, particular Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff, Joint Chiefs of Workers 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.
