U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy are nearing a potential breakthrough, signaling fresh momentum in efforts to end the war in Ukraine while acknowledging that the future of the eastern Donbas region remains unresolved.
The two leaders spoke to reporters on Sunday after meeting at Trump’s Mar a Lago resort in Florida, where they discussed security guarantees for Ukraine and the territorial status of areas in eastern Ukraine occupied during the conflict. Trump said the negotiations were moving forward, adding that the sides were “getting a lot closer, maybe very close” to an agreement.
The meeting marked one of the most detailed public updates in weeks on U.S. led diplomatic efforts to bring the war toward a settlement. Both leaders pointed to progress on security assurances for Ukraine, long a central demand from Kyiv, while conceding that territorial questions continue to complicate the talks.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine and the United States had reached agreement on security guarantees designed to protect Ukraine against future aggression. Trump offered a more cautious assessment, saying discussions were about ninety five percent complete and stressing that European nations would play a major role in implementing those guarantees with support from Washington.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoed that assessment in a statement posted on X after the Florida meeting. Macron said progress had been made and confirmed that countries in the so called Coalition of the Willing would gather in Paris in early January to finalize what he described as concrete contributions to Ukraine’s security framework.
Security guarantees have been a sticking point since the start of negotiations, with Kyiv seeking firm commitments from Western partners to deter any renewed Russian offensive once fighting stops.
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While security issues appear closer to resolution, the fate of Ukraine’s Donbas region remains unsettled. Trump said discussions on territory were moving in the right direction but acknowledged that the issue was difficult and unresolved.
“It’s unresolved, but it’s getting a lot closer,” Trump said, calling the status of Donbas a very tough issue.
Zelenskiy has previously pushed back against a U.S. proposal that would require Ukrainian forces to withdraw fully from Donbas, a move that would effectively cede territory to Russia. Moscow has demanded control of the entire region, while Kyiv has argued for freezing the front lines at current positions.
As part of compromise efforts, the United States has floated the idea of creating a free economic zone in the area if Ukraine withdraws. Officials have not provided details on how such a zone would operate or be enforced, leaving questions about its feasibility.
