Trump and Zelenskyy Advance Peace Talks in Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ongoing Diplomacy

On December 29, 2025, United States President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, declaring that the two leaders are increasingly close to reaching an agreement that could end the war in Ukraine. Both Trump and Zelenskyy reported progress on two of the most contentious issues in the peace negotiations: security guarantees for Ukraine and the division of the Donbas region that Russia has sought to capture.

Zelenskyy stated that an agreement on security guarantees had been reached, while Trump specified that they are 95% of the way towards such an agreement. Both leaders mentioned that the future of the Donbas region, predominantly occupied by Russia, has not yet been finalized, although the American president noted that discussions are 'moving in the right direction.' 'It is unresolved, but we are getting closer. It is a very delicate issue,' Trump said.

Progress and Challenges in International Meetings

Immediately following the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, stated on social media platform X that 'the whole world appreciates' the peace efforts of Trump and his team. Prior to this meeting, Trump and Putin discussed for over two hours via phone, with the American president describing the call as 'excellent' and 'productive.' Trump indicated he would call Putin again after his meeting with Zelenskyy.

During their discussions, Putin's aide, Yury Ushakov, noted that the initial call was 'friendly' and that Putin informed Trump that a 60-day ceasefire proposed by the European Union and Ukraine would only prolong the war. Ushakov emphasized that a 'bold and responsible political decision' from Kyiv is necessary to achieve a 'complete cessation' of hostilities.

Escalation of Military Conflict

In another development, Russian forces attacked a thermal power plant in the Ukrainian city of Kherson, injuring one person and causing 'significant damage' to the facility, according to the state company Naftogaz. However, Ukraine's main energy supplier, DTEK, announced that it had restored power to more than a million households in and around Kyiv, just one day after a massive Russian airstrike. The Ukrainian military conducted a drone strike on the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region, causing a fire, and damage assessments are still underway. Additionally, the Ukrainian army highlighted that only part of the southern city of Huliaipole is under Russian control, contradicting previous claims from Moscow that it had been captured.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any deployment of European troops in Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russian forces.