STORY: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (December 28) he was hopeful talks to resolve the war in Ukraine were closer after a lengthy meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Florida.

Trump and Zelenskiy indicated at a joint press conference that there was near agreement on a U.S.-Ukraine security agreement, but Trump said a few "thorny issues" around territory must be resolved. Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Access all)

1. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY WALKING TOWARDS PODIUMS

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"Well, thank you very much. We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin that lasted for over two hours. We discussed a lot of points, and I do think we're getting a lot closer, maybe very close."

3.(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"You know we spoke to all of those great leaders. They're all great leaders. And we had a great talk with them after we were completed. We thought it was appropriate to speak with them. And our meeting was excellent. We covered, somebody would say, 95%. I don't know what percent, but we have made a lot of progress on ending that war, which is really certainly the most deadly war since World War II, probably the biggest war since World War II."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"First of all, I would like to thank President Trump for a great meeting at this amazing place in his home in Mar-A-Lago. And we had really great discussions on all the topics, and we appreciate the progress that was made by American and Ukrainian teams in these recent weeks."

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"And we discussed all the aspects of the peace framework, which includes, and we have great achievements, 20 point peace plan, 90 percent agreed, and U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees, 100 percent agreed. U.S.-Europe-Ukraine security guarantees almost agreed. Military dimension, 100 percent agreed. Prosperity plan being finalized, and we also discussed the sequencing of the following actions. And we agree that security guarantees are the key milestone in achieving lasting peace, and our teams will continue working on all aspects. We also had a joint productive call with European leaders, like President Trump said already, and a lot of leaders, including NATO and the EU. And we agreed that our teams will meet in upcoming weeks to finalize all discussed matters. And we agreed with President Trump that he will host us, and maybe in Washington, European leaders and the Ukrainian delegation, yes, in January. And Ukraine is ready for peace. And once again, we would like to thank President Trump for a warm welcome and substantial discussion. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you very much. Thank you so much, Mr. President."

TRUMP: "Any questions, please?"

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: "Mr. President, have you agreed on the so-called free trade zone on Donbas, how to separate, how to separate the sites, how to make the separation line, and who will be responsible?."

TRUMP: "The word agreed is too strong. I would say not agreed, but we're getting closer to an agreement on that. And that's a big issue, certainly. That's one of the big issues. And I think we're closer than we were probably. One, it's unresolved, but it's getting a lot closer. That's a very tough issue, but one that I think will get resolved."

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"Yeah, please. Well, I think we're, look, you can say 95%, but I don't like to say percentages. I just think we're doing very well. We could be very close. There are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues, but I think we're doing very well. We've made a lot of progress today, but really, we've made it over the last month. This is not a one-day process deal. This is very complicated stuff. But I think when the President says 95, I think it could be close to 95 percent. Yeah."

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

"When we speak about referendum, we spoke that it's one of the key. We can have referendum on any kind of points of this plan. I said that we can use referendum, like for the plan, or we cannot use referendum. It's one of the key. We can use— I mean, this possibility of parliament to vote according to the law or to have referendum. Doesn't matter. I mean, this referendum, if the plan will be very difficult for our society, very difficult, of course, our society has to choose and who has to vote because it's their land, the land not of one person, it's the land of our nation for a lot of generals."

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: "Mr. President, you said this morning you weren't a deadline guy. How long do you think it'll take to get this last little bit, as you say, finished? What are we talking about?."

TRUMP: "So if it went really well, maybe a few weeks. And if it went poorly longer, and if it went really poorly, it's not going to happen. That would be a shame. There's that chance also. You know, it's possible it doesn't happen."

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (WHITEHOUSE.GOV - Access all)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: "So, in your conversation with President Putin, did you discuss what responsibility Russia will have for any kind of reconstruction of Ukraine post an agreement?"

TRUMP: "I did. I did. They're going to be helping. Russia is going to be helping. Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed once -- it sounds A little strange, but I was explaining to the President, President Putin was very generous in his failing toward Ukraine succeeding, including supplying energy, electricity, and other things at very low prices. So, a lot of -- a lot of good things came out of that call today. But they were in the works for two weeks with Steve and with Jared and Marco and everybody."

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 28, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Access all)

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

JOURNALIST: "Did Russia agree or did Putin agree to a ceasefire to allow a referendum to take place?."

TRUMP: "Not a ceasefire. And that's one of the points that we're working on right now. No, not a ceasefire. He feels that, look, you know, they're fighting to stop and then if they have to start again, which is a possibility. He doesn't want to be in that position. And I understand that position. The President, feels strongly about that or something. But I think we're finding ways that we can get around that. But I understand President Putin from that standpoint. You know, you have to understand the other side. And, you know, I'm on the side of peace. I'm on the side of stopping the war."

13. WHITE FLASH

14. TRUMP AND ZELENSKIY WALKING AWAY FROM PODIUM

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"He walked in, he said, this place is gorgeous. I don't think he wants to go to the White House anymore. That's the problem."

ZELENSKIY: "I'm ready to go to the White House."

TRUMP: "I know, It is. The White House is a very special place. And so is this. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you very much."