By Ayomide Otitoju
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he believed the leaders of Ukraine and Russia were serious about pursuing peace, as he held separate talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in what he described as the final stages of his efforts to end the war.
Trump, who had pledged to end the conflict on his first day in office, said there was no fixed deadline but confirmed he was embarking on an intensive year-end diplomatic push. The comments came as he welcomed President Zelensky to his Florida estate for high-level talks.
Ahead of the meeting with Zelensky, Trump spoke by telephone with President Putin, after which he struck an optimistic tone about prospects for cooperation with Moscow. The renewed optimism came despite skepticism among European allies, particularly following a fresh large-scale Russian bombardment of Kyiv as Zelensky travelled to the United States.
Asked whether Putin remained committed to peace despite the attacks, Trump said the Russian leader was “very serious,” while also noting that Ukraine had carried out strong counterattacks, which he described as understandable in the context of the conflict.
Trump later said his conversation with Putin had been “very productive,” and, standing alongside Zelensky, said any emerging agreement would include robust security guarantees for Ukraine. He added that European nations would play a significant role in providing protection under the arrangement.
US officials have previously suggested the possibility of NATO-like security guarantees for Ukraine, under which allied countries would respond militarily in the event of renewed Russian aggression.
However, the Kremlin offered a more guarded account of Trump’s discussion with Putin, saying the US president agreed that a simple ceasefire would only prolong the conflict. Russia reiterated its demand that Ukraine make territorial concessions as part of any settlement.
Zelensky, who has previously been critical of Trump’s approach, has sought to signal openness to negotiations, though Moscow has given no clear indication it will accept the proposed framework. At a previous meeting in October, Trump declined Zelensky’s request for long-range missiles, while again suggesting that Putin was showing positive signs.
Talks between Trump and Zelensky were expected to last about an hour, followed by a joint call involving key European leaders. Trump and Putin were also scheduled to hold another phone conversation later on Sunday.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was due to join the call, said Russia’s attacks on Kyiv were contrary to expectations and came despite Ukraine’s stated willingness to make compromises. The strikes temporarily disrupted electricity and heating supplies for hundreds of thousands of residents during freezing conditions.
According to officials, the revised peace proposal under discussion would freeze the conflict along current front lines and could require Ukrainian forces to withdraw from parts of the east to create demilitarised buffer zones. The plan represents Kyiv’s clearest acknowledgement yet of possible territorial concessions, though it does not include withdrawal from areas of eastern Donetsk still under Ukrainian control.
Zelensky struck a conciliatory tone during the meeting, stressing the importance of strategic discussions between both sides. The talks continued behind closed doors as the two leaders met with senior aides.
Russia has accused Ukraine and its European allies of undermining earlier US-led peace efforts. Meanwhile, recent Russian battlefield gains, including the reported capture of additional towns in eastern Ukraine, are widely seen as strengthening Moscow’s position in negotiations. Putin has warned that if Kyiv refuses a peaceful settlement, Russia would pursue its objectives by military means.
