Following their meeting in Florida, presidents of Ukraine and the United States have announced ‘major progress’ in talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
During the presser that followed the meeting, Zelensky stressed that territorial issues remain a major point of contention between Kiev and Moscow, as the two sides hold different positions on this issue. Zelensky said he was prepared to hold a referendum on any elements of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Trump, for his part, hoped to finalize the deal soon. He said the talks have been largely successful, though a few issues remain unresolved. Prior to talks, Trump held a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The two leaders called on Ukraine to take urgent steps toward ending the war. They also rejected a joint Ukrainian-European proposal for a temporary ceasefire, arguing that it would only prolong the conflict and lead to resumption of hostilities.