Florida: US President Donald Trump on Monday said he believes the war between Russia and Ukraine could move towards a settlement soon, while emphasising that he has deliberately avoided fixing any formal deadline for a peace agreement.
Speaking to reporters after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump said discussions had progressed significantly. He warned that the absence of an agreement at this stage would risk prolonging the conflict and adding to the human cost.
Trump indicated that negotiations had reached a decisive phase, noting that either the talks would yield results soon or the fighting could continue for an extended period with severe consequences. He stressed that delays would only result in more casualties.
When asked about timelines, the US president said he was not driven by dates or deadlines, adding that his sole focus was bringing the conflict to an end rather than adhering to a fixed schedule.
Trump also stated that he was convinced that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy were genuinely inclined towards peace, noting that the scale of loss on both sides had created a shared urgency to reach an agreement.
He also said he had held an extended conversation with Putin before meeting Zelenskyy, describing the exchange as substantive and constructive, according to a tweet by the White House.
Zelenskyy, addressing reporters later, said the talks with the US president covered all key elements of a potential settlement. He expressed satisfaction with the pace of progress made by the Ukrainian and American teams in recent weeks.
The Ukrainian leader stated that there was substantial alignment on most points of a proposed peace framework, including security arrangements and military-related aspects, while economic and development plans were nearing finalization.
