Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky said progress had been made to end the Ukraine war during Florida talks but the US leader added 'one or two very thorny issues' remained.
While both the US and Ukrainian presidents described the talks as 'great', Trump reiterated that a key sticking point was the question of territory. Russia has previously demanded that Ukraine hand over more land.
Addressing reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Zelensky said they had come to an agreement on '90%' of a 20-point peace plan, while Trump stated a security guarantee for Ukraine was 'close to 95%' done.
Zelensky later mentioned that US and Ukrainian teams would meet next week for further talks on issues aimed at ending Russia's nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
We had a substantive conversation on all issues and highly value the progress that the Ukrainian and American teams have made over the past weeks, Zelensky said in a statement on Telegram.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, leading to complex negotiations about land and security.
Trump indicated that issues surrounding the Donbas region remain unresolved, saying that 'some of that land has been taken' while hinting at its potential liberation in future months. He recognized the ongoing demand from Russia for Ukraine to withdraw from the contested areas.
In contrast, Zelensky noted the possibility of making the Donbas an economically free zone under Ukrainian oversight as a part of negotiations.
Trump's remarks reflected a willingness to pursue trilateral discussions involving the US, Ukraine, and Russia, emphasizing the importance of careful negotiations to avoid conflicts dragging on.
Moreover, both leaders acknowledged the complexities of this conflict and its implications for the region, stressing the importance of returning to the discussion table for future talks.
