Trump-Zelenskyy bilateral meeting puts Ukraine deal in focus
President Donald J. Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Dec. 28, 2025, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, in a high-stakes bilateral session aimed at narrowing remaining gaps in a revised 20-point peace framework to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. [1, 2, 3]
The White House amplified the meeting through two widely shared posts on X: “President Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with the President of Ukraine” and “President Trump Delivers Remarks in a Bilateral Meeting with the President of Ukraine,” both linking to official video coverage. [4, 5]
What was discussed—and who was in the room
According to reporting on the meeting’s structure and delegations, Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and senior envoys Steve Witkoff (Trump’s foreign envoy) and Jared Kushner (serving in a negotiating role). [2, 1]
Substantively, the agenda centered on: (1) U.S. security guarantees intended to deter renewed Russian invasion after any ceasefire; (2) territorial questions in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas; and (3) unresolved technical issues such as monitoring mechanisms and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. [1, 3]
Supporting narrative: White House case for accelerated diplomacy
Trump argued the talks were nearing an actionable endgame, telling reporters he believed the parties had “the makings of a deal” and emphasizing urgency given battlefield casualties. [3]
Administration allies say the intensified pace—weeks of U.S.-led shuttle diplomacy culminating in a leader-level meeting—demonstrates active U.S. foreign policy engagement designed to convert negotiations into a durable ceasefire and postwar framework. [1, 3]
Opposing narrative: critics warn of leverage and legitimacy risks
Skeptics—particularly among some European and NATO-aligned voices—have cautioned that any settlement could pressure Kyiv into premature territorial concessions, while Russia continues strikes that undermine confidence in Moscow’s intentions. [1]
Zelenskyy himself has framed the moment as decisive but conditional, stressing that continued Russian attacks and unresolved “sensitive issues” complicate the path to a credible end to the war. [1, 3]
Russia-Ukraine war discussions: Moscow’s posture and backchanneling
The meeting unfolded amid continued Russian attacks on Ukraine, including large-scale drone and missile strikes reported in the days immediately preceding the talks. [1]
Separately, Russia’s diplomatic track included engagement with U.S. intermediaries: Kremlin-linked envoy Kirill Dmitriev held talks in the U.S. with Witkoff and Kushner and was expected to brief President Vladimir Putin on U.S. proposals. [6]
What comes next
Both sides signaled follow-on negotiations in the coming weeks, with the biggest variables remaining Russia’s acceptance of terms, the sequencing of any ceasefire, and whether security guarantees can be formalized in a way that is politically sustainable in Washington and credible in Kyiv. [1, 2, 3]
Links: White House video library coverage of the bilateral meeting and remarks is available via WhiteHouse.gov and the @WhiteHouse posts referenced above. [4, 5]
Citations
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/28/politics/zelensky-trump-meeting-peace-plan [2] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/28/trump-zelenskyy-peace-talks-putin-00707152 [3] https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/trump-zelenskyy-meeting-florida/ [4] https://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/?query-inherit-playlist_term=remarks-from-president-trump [5] https://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/?query-inherit-playlist_term=live-events [6] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kremlin-says-dmitriev-will-report-putin-us-proposals-ukrainian-settlement-2025-12-22/