Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met at Mar-a-Lago to discuss a possible peace plan, but offered few concrete signs that a deal is imminent. During a tense press conference Trump praised Vladimir Putin and said "Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed," prompting an incredulous reaction from Zelensky. The comments came amid a recent Russian drone barrage that killed at least seven civilians and drew sharp rebukes from U.S. senators. Zelensky said the peace plan is still "90 percent" complete.
Zelensky Smirks as Trump Praises Putin — Mar-a-Lago Talks Produce Few Signs of a Peace Deal
President Donald Trump speaks during the meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago club on Sunday. Stephen Miller, General Dan Caine, Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner also attended the talks. / Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for talks aimed at advancing a potential peace agreement to end the war with Russia. Both leaders said there had been progress, but offered little concrete evidence that a deal was imminent.
At a post-meeting news conference, Trump — who said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than two hours before the meeting — surprised observers by offering unusually flattering comments about the Russian leader.
"Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed," Trump declared, drawing a visible reaction from Zelensky, who raised an eyebrow, grinned and replied dryly, "Yeah." Trump then conceded, "It sounds a little strange."
Awkward Exchange and Broader Context
The brief exchange followed an earlier moment in which Trump told reporters, "I was explaining to the president [Zelensky], President Putin was very generous in his feeling toward Ukraine succeeding." Zelensky continued to smile, appearing to hold back a stronger response as Trump reiterated a flattering portrayal of Putin while glossing over the fact that Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles over the holidays, killing at least seven civilians. / Andrew Harnik / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Trump also invoked the federal inquiry into his 2016 campaign, saying he "got along with him very well despite the Russia Russia Russia hoax, which was a total hoax." He blamed President Joe Biden for contributing to the outbreak of hostilities, saying Putin "wasn't going to do anything" until Biden made "a lot of really bad statements."
Despite repeatedly saying he is "on the side of peace," Trump said he "understands" why Putin would resist the ceasefire Kyiv seeks: "He feels that, look, you know, they're fighting and to stop, and if they have to start again, which is a possibility, he doesn't want to be in that position — I understand that position."
Violence Continues and U.S. Reaction
The remarks came after a heavy Russian attack: Russian forces launched more than 100 drones on Christmas Eve and in the early hours of Christmas Day, killing at least seven civilians in Ukraine. In response to the broader discussion of Putin's intentions, GOP Senators Thom Tillis, Jerry Moran and John Barrasso, joined by Democratic colleagues, issued a pointed reminder that Putin is a "ruthless murderer."
Observers noted that Trump has previously pushed Ukraine to accept a U.S.-brokered deal seen as favorable to Moscow. Sunday’s talks were reported to be focused on security guarantees and possible territorial concessions. Zelensky told reporters the peace plan is still "90 percent" complete — the same figure he cited before the meeting.
When asked for comment after the session, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told the Daily Beast, "Someone needs to save the interns of the Daily Beast. They are clearly being forced to write utter nonsense, like attacking President Trump's progress towards ending the Russia-Ukraine War, which will haunt them for the rest of their careers."
