Trump and Zelenskyy progress on Ukraine peace plan

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have held high-stakes talks at Mar-a-Lago, claiming a revised peace framework to end Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine is now 90% agreed. The meeting followed weeks of negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials and came just hours after Trump held an unexpected phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move that reportedly caught Kyiv off guard.

Zelenskyy says security guarantees are the central breakthrough, with the plan allowing Ukraine to maintain an 800,000-strong military while receiving NATO Article 5-style protections from the United States and European allies. The proposal also includes an $800 billion reconstruction fund and an accelerated path toward European Union membership. Trump described the talks as “outstanding,” warning that without a deal, the conflict could drag on with devastating human costs.

However, major obstacles remain — particularly over territorial control in the eastern Donbas region and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russia is demanding Ukraine surrender all of Donbas, while Kyiv wants borders frozen at the current battle lines. Washington has floated demilitarised and free economic zones, while Zelenskyy has signalled he may put the full proposal to a national referendum. The talks come as Russia intensifies missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, even as European leaders join calls to shape the next phase of negotiations.