Trump Optimistic About Peace Deal as Zelensky Heads to Mar‑a‑Lago
Washington – President Donald J. Trump told The Post that he believes a peace agreement with Russia is within reach when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits his Mar‑a‑Lago estate on Sunday.
In a Friday afternoon phone call with the paper, Trump said, “Well, I think we have a good shot at it.” He added that while both sides want a deal, the other side often stalls. “I settled eight wars, and this is the most difficult of them all. But I think we’ll get it done.”
Zelensky will bring a fresh 20‑point peace proposal, a trim‑down of the 28‑point plan drafted earlier in the year by Trump’s negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The latest counter‑proposal calls for a demilitarized “free economic zone” in eastern Ukraine, a suggestion that has yet to elicit a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that dialogue would continue.
In separate comments to Politico, Trump was less ready to endorse Zelensky’s plan outright. “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it. So we’ll see what he’s got,” he said. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian leader told Axios on Friday that he is “ready” to call a referendum to confirm territorial concessions to Russia as part of a broader peace strategy.
Trump’s relationship with the conflict has swung between hopeful and exasperated over the past months. He left an August meeting in Alaska with Putin feeling that peace was almost within grasp, after the Russian leader hinted at tolerating international peacekeepers from countries such as France and the UK. Putin later withdrew from a proposed summit with Zelensky, throwing momentum back into question.
Russia has slowly eroded Ukrainian control over territory, incurring heavy losses along the way. Zelensky’s negotiating team also saw a shake‑up in late November when longtime ally and key negotiator Andrey Yermak resigned following a corruption investigation, a move that many U.S. officials flagged as a diplomatic hurdle.
Trump’s upcoming meeting at Mar‑a‑Lago may set it apart from previous U.S. presidential visits to the White House. He has a reputation for hosting foreign leaders at the Palm Beach estate, using the setting to influence discussions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit on Monday to discuss the Gaza cease‑fire negotiations.
The president often recalls his 2017 visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping, mentioning how he served the Chinese leader a decadent dessert before delivering news of airstrikes in Syria. “We had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you’ve ever seen, and President Xi was enjoying it,” Trump recounted. “He was eating his cake, and he was silent.”
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