By Gloria Ogbonna
President Donald Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Sunday, signaling renewed diplomatic engagement aimed at ending the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
During the high-profile meeting, Trump expressed optimism that Russian President Vladimir Putin is genuinely interested in pursuing peace.
In a video shared on X by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Trump was seen greeting Zelensky warmly and shaking his hand as the two leaders stood side by side. As reporters looked on, one asked Trump directly whether he believed Putin was serious about peace at this stage in the conflict.
“Mr. President, do you think Putin is serious about peace this time?” the reporter asked.
“I do,” Trump replied. “I think he is. I think they both are,” he added, referring to both Putin and Zelensky.
The remarks come amid intensified diplomatic efforts to bring the nearly three-year conflict to an end. According to CNN, Trump said negotiators were getting “closer” to a potential agreement to end the war, though he cautioned that significant challenges remain unresolved.
While expressing optimism, Trump acknowledged that negotiations are still complicated. He noted that there are “thorny issues” standing in the way of a final deal and declined to reveal any specific breakthroughs achieved during the discussions.
Trump also disclosed that prior to his meeting with Zelensky, he held what he described as a “good and very productive” telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump highlighted the significance of speaking with both leaders on the same day.
“I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” Trump wrote, underscoring his role as a central figure in ongoing peace efforts.
Breitbart News correspondent Simon Kent previously reported that Zelensky had announced plans to meet with Trump “before the New Year” as part of a broader push to negotiate an end to the war. Zelensky publicly emphasized the urgency of high-level talks, suggesting that key decisions could be reached before the calendar turns.
“We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level — with President Trump in the near future,” Zelensky said in a social media post ahead of the visit. “A lot can be decided before the New Year.”
The meeting at Mar-a-Lago marks a notable moment in U.S.-led diplomatic efforts and reflects Trump’s confidence that direct engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv could pave the way for a negotiated settlement.
While no formal agreement has yet been announced, Trump’s comments suggest that momentum may be building toward a possible resolution, even as complex issues continue to challenge negotiators on all sides.
Source Breitbart
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