Mar-a-Lago Plan - Did Zelenskyy and Trump Agree?
Key Details from the Meeting
The presidents of Ukraine and the United States, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump, met in Florida. The US leader chose his Mar-a-Lago residence as the venue for discussions on a peace plan. The meeting focused on several critical issues, including the future of the conflict and potential agreements.
What Was Discussed?
Trump expressed his belief that a deal could be reached that would be "good for Ukraine and for everyone." He reiterated that he had ended eight wars and called this one the most difficult. He also mentioned that he was not setting a deadline for ending the war. Additionally, Trump stated that he believed Putin was currently serious about peace, despite continued strikes on Ukraine.
Trump indicated that the discussions were at the final stage and could conclude soon, though he cautioned that they could also drag on. Zelenskyy, on the other hand, said that the teams had made progress and that about 90% of the work had been completed. He noted that discussions were continuing on financial aspects of recovery and next steps toward ending the war.
Delegation Lineups
After the talks, the leaders attended a working lunch with members of their negotiating teams. The US delegation included various officials, while the Ukrainian delegation also had its own set of representatives.
Photo: Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet at Mar-a-Lago (Getty Images)
Trump’s Conversation with Putin
US President Donald Trump described his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as important and said he would speak again with Russian President Vladimir Putin afterward. He had already held a call with Putin several hours before meeting Zelenskyy. The Kremlin reported that Trump and Putin agreed to set up two working groups, on security and economic issues, within the peace plan framework. Topics discussed included a referendum and a ceasefire.
The Financial Times reported that the Trump–Putin call had allegedly raised concerns in Kyiv. However, sources told RBC-Ukraine that the call did not alarm Zelenskyy. Members of the Ukrainian president’s team said it had been understood that Trump and Putin would speak, and that one of the current tasks was to clarify what Russia is prepared to accept.
Media Interaction
The leaders’ talks lasted more than two hours. Afterward, Zelenskyy and Trump held calls with European leaders and then spoke to the press. Zelenskyy’s team told RBC-Ukraine that the meeting was substantive and among the most important to date.
When asked about the working group discussed with Putin, Trump said the US side would include special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Dan Caine and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also mentioned that Ukrainians would participate. Zelenskyy named Rustem Umerov, Serhii Kyslytsia, and Andrii Hnatov. He said the teams would work through six documents and aim for a decision in January.
Trump added that the working group would engage directly with Russia.
Key Points from Zelenskyy
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy publicly outlined all 20 points of the peace plan under discussion for months. He reiterated that the most difficult issues, especially territorial ones, must be addressed directly with Trump.
Territorial questions are widely considered the hardest. Russia seeks Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donetsk region, which Kyiv considers unacceptable. The US has floated a compromise involving a free economic zone.
Another difficult issue is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The US has proposed trilateral management involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia. Ukraine favors joint control with the US only, while Russia wants control without Ukraine.
