Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sat down with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for almost three hours of talks on ending Russia's war. Both leaders walked out sounding upbeat. Neither walked out with a deal.
Trump told reporters the two countries are "closer than ever" to peace. He also admitted the biggest fight, over land, isn't settled.
As we reported Friday, Zelenskyy flew to Florida hoping to lock down security guarantees and push the 20-point peace plan over the finish line. Here's what actually came out of the meeting.
The Numbers They're Selling
At their joint press conference, Zelenskyy listed what he sees as the wins: "a 20-point peace plan, 90% agreed, and U.S.-Ukraine security guarantees, 100% agreed."
Trump was a little less confident on the guarantees. He said the teams had covered about 95% of what's needed to end the war, and that they're "getting a lot closer, maybe very close."
Trump didn't give a timeline, though. He warned that unexpected problems could still derail the whole thing.
What "Security Guarantees" Means
For Ukraine, this is the whole ballgame. A ceasefire without real protection just gives Russia time to regroup and invade again.
When a reporter asked whether he'd promised Ukraine security, Trump said yes. But he added that Europe would take over "a big part of it," with the U.S. helping.
That's not exactly a firm American commitment. It's also why Zelenskyy keeps pulling European leaders into these talks.
After the meeting, Trump and Zelenskyy got on a call together with the leaders of France, Finland, Poland, Norway, Italy, the U.K. and Germany, plus the heads of NATO and the European Commission.
The Land Problem Nobody Can Fix
The biggest sticking point is still the Donbas, the industrial region in eastern Ukraine. It's made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and Russia has been fighting there since 2014.
The Kremlin wants Ukraine to hand over all of it, including towns Russia has never managed to capture. When reporters asked Trump what the toughest issue was, he pointed to the land.
When he was pressed on Russia's demand for the whole Donbas, Trump said it's a dispute the two sides will have to work out themselves.
The current plan floats a demilitarized "free economic zone" in the Donetsk region, along with a possible Ukrainian vote on any land concessions. Zelenskyy made clear that Ukrainians will decide. He said a referendum could be used for any part of the peace plan, not just territory.
Another open question: who controls the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. Russia seized it early in the war, and it's still one of the chief obstacles to a deal.
Putin Wasn't There, But He Was on the Phone
Trump called Vladimir Putin Sunday morning, before Zelenskyy even arrived, and called it a good and very productive conversation. His message to Putin, he told reporters: "gotta make a deal. Gotta get it done. Too many people died."
Trump said that call lasted more than two hours. Putin's foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said it ran a little over an hour. Ushakov also said Ukraine needs to make its decision on the Donbas without further delay.
Trump spoke with Putin again after the meeting. Afterward, he claimed Putin is committed to peace and that "Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed."
Zelenskyy's response was pointed. He said Putin's actions have to match his words.
Meanwhile, Kyiv Was Freezing
Just one day earlier, Russia pounded Kyiv and the surrounding region with almost 500 drones and 40 missiles, according to Zelenskyy. At least one person was killed in the capital and more than 30 were hurt, including two children.
The strikes knocked out heat to about a third of Kyiv, around 4,000 apartment buildings, in the dead of winter. Russian drones also hit a gas production site and a heat and power plant run by Ukraine's state energy company. Its CEO said Russia is timing these attacks to hit when temperatures drop and people need heat the most.
Families in Kyiv are already living with power cuts that can last up to 15 hours a day. Many spent Friday night in underground shelters, and plenty of them woke up to cold apartments.
That's the reality behind the percentages being tossed around in Florida.
Who Was In the Room
Trump's team at the table included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Witkoff and Kushner have been leading the talks with Ukrainian negotiators in recent weeks.
What Happens Next
No deal was signed, and no date was set for one. Russia still hasn't budged on its land demands, and the Kremlin hasn't signed off on the 20-point plan.
For Ukrainians, the most important number isn't 90% or 95%. It's how many more nights they'll spend in shelters while the last few percent gets sorted out.
