Trump says progress made in Ukraine talks however ‘thorny points’ stay

[ad_1] Bernd Debusmann Jr, Washington DC and

Harry Sekulich

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/15ed/live/6b7de840-e4c1-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="EPA Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, USA, 28 December 2025." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> EPA The US has supplied Ukraine safety ensures for 15 years, Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned, throughout talks on a revised peace plan with Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday.

The US president mentioned an settlement on this level was "near 95%" accomplished, however Ukraine's chief has since mentioned he would really like ensures for as much as 50 years.

President Zelensky outlined territorial points and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant because the final unresolved issues, with little mentioned on the way forward for Ukraine's contested Donbas area.

Russia has beforehand rejected key elements of the plan, however a Kremlin spokesman agreed on Monday with Trump's evaluation that peace is nearer, Russian-owned information company Tass reported.

Addressing reporters at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort after Sunday's assembly, Zelensky repeated his perception that an total peace settlement was 90% of the best way there, a determine he had given within the lead as much as the go to.

Each the US and Ukrainian leaders additionally indicated that there had been progress on one key sticking level - safety ensures for Ukraine. Information company Reuters reported that he hoped any safety ensures would start the second Kyiv signed a peace deal.

"With out safety ensures, this conflict can't be thought-about really over. We can't acknowledge that it has ended, as a result of with such a neighbour there stays a danger of renewed aggression," Zelensky defined, based on information company AFP.

He added that he wished the US to additional "think about the potential for 30, 40, 50 years".

The US has not but commented on the time-frame. On Sunday, Trump mentioned an settlement was shut and that he anticipated European allies to "take over an enormous half" of that effort with help from the US.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e199/live/b04f9e00-e480-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters For President Zelensky, two core points now stay unresolved inside the plan - the query of territories and the way forward for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant which is in Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.

Moscow at the moment controls about 75% of the Donetsk area, and a few 99% of the neighbouring Luhansk. The 2 areas are identified collectively as Donbas.

Chatting with reporters after their assembly, Trump mentioned a deal on Donbas remained "unresolved, nevertheless it's getting so much nearer".

Its destiny has been a significant impediment all through negotiations, with Russia constantly unwilling to compromise on its intention to grab full management of Donbas.

On Monday, the Kremlin once more mentioned Ukraine ought to withdraw its troops from the a part of the area that Kyiv nonetheless controls. Ukraine has insisted the world may grow to be a free financial zone policed by its forces - however Zelensky has underlined that any talks on this could embody the Ukrainian folks, Reuters reported.

The US president has repeatedly modified his personal place on Ukraine's misplaced territories, and in September shocked observers by suggesting that Ukraine may be capable to take it again. He later reversed course.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/a870/live/7d139650-e48e-11f0-b67b-690eb873de1b.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Map showing which areas of Ukraine are under Russian military control or limited Russian control" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Trump has additionally floated the potential for trilateral talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine, saying it may occur "on the proper time".

Whereas he's eager so as to add the Ukraine-Russia conflict to the record of conflicts he claims to have ended, Trump cautioned that stalled or scrapped talks that go "actually badly" may imply that the conflict continues for even longer.

Zelensky advised the Ukrainian officers may meet on the White Home in January, probably alongside European leaders, because the US and Ukrainian delegations finalise plans for additional talks.

In a post-meeting name with European allies, European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen hailed "good progress" within the Florida talks whereas reinforcing the necessity for "ironclad safety ensures" for Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron additionally mentioned Kyiv's allies would meet in Paris subsequent month to debate safety ensures.

Trump: Settlement on Donbas 'unresolved' however 'getting nearer'

Zelensky has mentioned {that a} peace plan must be put to a referendum in Ukraine, insisting {that a} 60-day ceasefire could be mandatory for such a vote to happen.

Nevertheless, Russia doesn't again a short lived ceasefire - a difficulty which reportedly got here up on a name between Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin forward of Sunday's assembly.

Yuri Ushakov, Russia's former US ambassador, mentioned Trump listened to the Kremlin's evaluation of the proposals and the 2 presidents left the decision united of their perception {that a} momentary ceasefire proposed by the EU and Ukraine would as an alternative lengthen the battle.

Trump - who initiated the decision - acknowledged that Moscow had little curiosity in a ceasefire that may permit Ukraine to carry a referendum.

"I perceive that place," he added.

Little additional element was supplied, though Trump mentioned he believed the Russian chief "needs Ukraine to succeed".

In the meantime, strikes continued in a single day in Ukraine.

Kyiv mentioned 25 airstrikes had been carried out by Russia on Sunday, 21 of which had been shot down.

Russia's Ministry of Defence mentioned 89 UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Autos) from Ukraine had been intercepted by its forces on Sunday night time - the overwhelming majority of which had been over the Bryansk area.