PALM BEACH, FLORIDA—Standing beneath the gold-leafed ceilings of Mar-a-Lago’s main dining room, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a global audience on Sunday afternoon, signaling what Trump described as the “final stages” of a high-stakes diplomatic gambit to end the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The summit, occurring against the backdrop of a “barbaric” Russian missile barrage on Kyiv just hours earlier, saw the two leaders project a businesslike—if occasionally tense—optimism. With a revised 20-point peace plan now reportedly “90% complete,” the meeting represented the most significant attempt to date to bridge the chasm between Kyiv’s survival and Moscow’s territorial ambitions.
‘Brave’ Leadership and a Productive Dial
President Trump, spending the holidays at his Florida estate, opened the media briefing by praising Zelensky as “very hard-working and very brave.” In a move that underscored his “dealmaker” approach, Trump revealed he had spent more than an hour on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin immediately before the meeting and planned to “call him right back” once Zelensky departed.
- The Trump Verdict: “I believe both leaders truly want it to end,” Trump told reporters. “We have the makings of a deal. It’s either going to happen now, or it’s going to go on for a very long time and millions more will be dead.”
- The Zelensky Stance: A somber Zelensky, still in his signature military olive-drab, emphasized that any peace must be “just and lasting.” While he acknowledged that territorial concessions were on the table for discussion—a significant shift in rhetoric—he insisted that security guarantees remain the ultimate red line.
- The 20-Point Draft: Negotiators confirmed that the new framework has moved away from a widely criticized November draft that leaned heavily toward Russian demands. The current 20 points focus on a demilitarized zone and an $800 billion reconstruction fund.
The ‘Zaporizhzhia Split’ and Security Guarantees
As the leaders spoke, details began to leak regarding the “sensitive issues” still being hammered out. According to sources close to the Ukrainian delegation, the “90% completion” hinges on several radical proposals:
- Energy Sovereignty: A proposal to operate the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as a three-way joint enterprise between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, with American officials acting as the primary managers.
- The Demilitarized Zone: A plan to freeze the frontlines in the Donbas, with both sides pulling back heavy weaponry to create a neutral buffer zone monitored by international observers and space-based surveillance.
- The ‘Article 5’ Alternative: Zelensky is reportedly pushing for “NATO-like” security protections that would trigger immediate Western military aid if Russia violates the ceasefire, even if formal NATO membership remains off the table for the immediate future.
A Contrast in Optics
The atmosphere in Palm Beach was a world away from the smoldering ruins of Kyiv, where emergency crews were still pulling survivors from the rubble of a drone strike that Zelensky labeled “Russia’s answer to our peace efforts.”
When asked by reporters about the timing of the Russian attacks, Trump declined to condemn Putin directly, instead noting that “Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also.” The remark served as a reminder of the “transactional” nature of the current U.S. administration’s foreign policy, which has prioritized a swift conclusion over a moral judgment of the aggressor.
Zelensky, however, remained focused on the international coalition. Before the meeting, he held a flurry of calls with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ensuring that Europe remained “in the loop” as Trump leads the bilateral push.
The ‘New Year’ Deadline
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky wrote on social media following the press appearance. With Trump stating he has “no deadlines” but a desire for “speed,” the coming 72 hours are expected to be the most intensive period of diplomacy since the war began in 2022.
As the Ukrainian delegation boarded their flight out of Miami, the question remains: Can a 20-point document provide a “100% solution” to a war of totalities? For now, the world waits for the readout of Trump’s follow-up call to the Kremlin.