'No Deadlines, But We're In Final Stages Of Plan': Trump On Russia-Ukraine War After Zelenskyy Meet

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he is confident that the Russia-Ukraine war could come to an end in the near future, even as he underlined that he has not set any formal deadline for reaching

the peace agreement.

Speaking to reporters after his high-level meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump said the negotiations are at an advanced stage and warned that failure to conclude a deal would only prolong the conflict and lead to further loss of life.

“We’re in the final stages of talking. We’re going to see. Otherwise, it’s going to go on for a long time,” Trump said.

“It’ll either end, or it’s going to go on for a long time, and millions of additional people are going to be killed,” he added.

When asked whether he had set a deadline for ending the war, Trump made it clear that this time, he is not working against a fixed timeline.

“I don’t have deadlines. You know what, my deadline is getting the war ended,” he said, stressing that ending the conflict remains his sole priority.

Trump said he believes that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy are serious about pursuing peace.

“Yes, I do believe that President Putin is serious about peace this time. I think he is. I think they both are. They have to make a deal. Too many people have died, and both Presidents want to make a deal,” he told reporters.

The US President revealed that he had spoken with Putin for over two hours before meeting Zelenskyy, describing the conversation as “very productive.”

Trump said he plans to speak with the Russian leader again following his discussions with the Ukrainian side, noting that negotiations are complex but manageable.

“I am also calling President Putin back after the meeting, and we will continue the negotiations,” he said.

Trump also reiterated that a peace agreement is getting “very close,” while acknowledging that certain issues, particularly territorial disputes in eastern Ukraine, remain sensitive.

“The land, some of that land has been taken. You’re better off making a deal now,” he said, without providing specific details on how much of the agreement has been finalised.

Despite the ongoing fighting, including attacks reported on the day of the meeting, Trump struck an optimistic note, saying that continued diplomacy with Ukraine, Russia and European leaders could lead to a breakthrough.

He also hinted that a trilateral meeting involving himself, Putin and Zelenskyy could take place “at the right time.”

Following the meeting, President Zelenskyy also expressed optimism, sharing details of the discussions while speaking to reporters.

“We had great discussions on all the topics, and we appreciate the progress that the Americans and Ukrainian teams made in these recent weeks,” Zelenskyy said.

“We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework,” he mentioned.

Zelenskyy said there has been significant convergence between the two sides, stating that there is “90 per cent agreement on the 20-point peace plan” and “100 per cent agreement on US-Ukraine security guarantees,” with US-Europe-Ukraine security guarantees “almost agreed.”

He added that the military dimension is “100 per cent agreed” and that the Prosperity Plan is in its final stages.

“We agreed that security guarantees are a key milestone in achieving lasting peace and our teams will continue working on all aspects,” Zelenskyy said, adding, “Ukraine is ready for peace.”

Trump hosted a dinner for Zelenskyy attended by senior US officials, as discussions with European leaders continued alongside the talks.

Both sides indicated that negotiations would intensify in the coming days, with further meetings expected as efforts continue to bring the war to an end.

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