President Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after a Mar‑a‑Lago meeting that a peace framework is nearly complete, though territorial disputes over the Donbas region remain a core obstacle. Trump also described a productive call with Vladimir Putin and suggested a deal could be finalized in a few weeks. Other weekend headlines include the death of French icon Brigitte Bardot, NASA’s Artemis II moon mission targeted for 2026, wildfire recovery in Pacific Palisades, a makeshift animal shelter in Gaza coping with shortages, and winter storms affecting some 52 million people.
Trump and Zelenskyy Say Peace Deal Is Near After Mar‑a‑Lago Meeting; Donbas Remains A Major Hurdle
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President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after a face‑to‑face meeting at Mar‑a‑Lago on Sunday that they are close to a potential peace agreement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, though both leaders stopped short of declaring any major breakthroughs.
Talks Yield Optimism — But Not Agreement
Speaking at a joint news conference after their meeting at Trump’s Florida estate, both leaders struck an upbeat tone while acknowledging outstanding obstacles. “You can say 95%, but I don’t like to say percentages. I just think we’re doing very well,” Trump said. He added that there were “one or two very thorny issues,” identifying “the land” — a reference to the Donbas region — as a key sticking point Moscow has demanded Ukraine cede.
Zelenskyy described their discussion as productive: “We had a really great discussion. We discussed all the aspects of the peace framework.” He told reporters that roughly 90% of a framework has been agreed and that security guarantees from the U.S., Europe and Ukraine were “almost agreed.” Trump said a best‑case timeline to finalize a deal would be “in a few weeks.”
Earlier Sunday, Trump said on Truth Social that he had a “good and very productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The diplomatic overtures come amid continued fighting: Ukrainian officials said Russia launched a massive missile attack on Kyiv just over a day before the meeting, killing at least one person and wounding about 20, according to the city’s mayor.
The Artemis II astronauts pause during a demonstration test at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Dec. 20. (Gregg Newton / AFP via Getty Images)
International And Domestic Headlines
In France, screen icon and animal‑rights advocate Brigitte Bardot has died at 91, French media and The Associated Press reported. Celebrated for roles that made her an international symbol of youthful rebellion, Bardot left film in 1973 to focus on animal welfare. President Emmanuel Macron praised her as someone who “embodied a life of freedom,” while Bardot’s foundation highlighted decades of animal‑welfare work.
Politics And The Road To 2026
U.S. political campaigns are already orienting toward the 2026 midterms. Parties are intensifying efforts to win younger male voters, and early, hotly contested primaries next year will be viewed as testing grounds. Democrats still face a difficult path to retake the Senate but see opportunities in some competitive races amid concerns about the economy and health care.
Space: Artemis II On The Horizon
NASA is targeting 2026 for Artemis II, a roughly 10‑day mission that would carry four astronauts around the moon — the first crewed lunar flight in more than half a century. If it proceeds as planned, Artemis II would mark a major step toward establishing a sustainable human presence on the moon and preparing for eventual missions to Mars.
Wildfires And Community Recovery
Pacific Palisades residents, including Victoria Escalante — who lost everything in the 2018 Camp Fire — are again confronting recovery after the Palisades Fire one of two major January blazes that swept parts of Los Angeles County. Assisted‑living facilities and senior communities were among the hardest hit. Nearly a year on, rebuilding has been slow, but many displaced older residents say returning home has brought renewed hope. “I believe it’s going to be good again,” Escalante said.
A Cal Fire firefighter pulls a hose toward a burning home as the Camp Fire moves through the area in Magalia, Calif., on Nov. 9, 2018. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images file)
Humanitarian Strain In Gaza: A Tent Shelter For Animals
In Gaza, a modest animal shelter operating from a tent remains a rare refuge for injured and starving pets amid the conflict. Volunteers at Sulala Animal Rescue are treating animals with scarce supplies, sometimes using expired medicines or human drugs and relying on donated food. Founder Saeed Al‑Aar said, “You cannot look at a creature that trusts you and eat in front of it without sharing.”
Odd Crimes, Sports And Weather
Other weekend items included reports that a $400,000 lobster shipment was stolen en route to Costco, a Texas father who found his reportedly abducted teenage daughter using parental‑control features on his phone, and an Oklahoma man charged with first‑degree manslaughter for allegedly shooting a woman while firing at a backyard target.
On the sports front, the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears were set to face off for the NFC’s top seed on Sunday Night Football. A powerful winter storm system has also disrupted travel, placing roughly 52 million people from the northern Plains through New England under winter‑weather alerts.
Source: This article was adapted from NBCNews.com coverage of the weekend’s top stories.
