Donald Trump Says Ukraine and Russia Are 'Closer Than Ever' to Peace Agreement

President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine and Russia are 'closer than ever' to a peace agreement to end their war. He made these comments following a meeting on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although several difficult and unresolved issues remain. Trump met with Zelensky at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida; prior to that, he had a separate phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he described as 'very constructive' on his 'Truth Social' network. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt wrote on social media platform X that Trump also had a 'positive' phone call regarding Ukraine with Putin on Monday, January 8, without providing further details. In a press conference on Sunday after his talks with Zelensky, Trump discussed U.S.-led efforts to end Russia's aggressive war in Ukraine, stating, 'We are probably very close to an agreement.' He added, 'Everyone wants this war to end.' Trump remarked, 'One or two very sensitive and difficult issues remain, but I think we are making good progress. We made a lot of progress today, but in reality, this progress has been made over the past month. This is not a one-day process; it is a very complex issue.' One of the main points of contention is the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. Russia controls most of this area and demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from parts that are still not under Russian control. Trump stated, 'This is a very difficult issue, but I believe it will be resolved.' Zelensky mentioned that the U.S. and Ukraine have largely reached an understanding regarding the framework for a peace agreement to end the war. He said, 'We have examined all aspects of the peace framework' and added that '90 percent agreement' has been reached on a twenty-point peace plan. This twenty-point plan is a revised version of the U.S. proposed framework published in November. Zelensky stated that negotiating teams will meet in the coming weeks to finalize the issues raised at Mar-a-Lago, with Trump hosting those discussions. Trump told reporters that future talks would be held 'in Washington or elsewhere.' He added that he still believes his Russian counterpart, Putin, is 'very serious' about ending the war and said that the coming weeks will determine whether negotiations will succeed. Trump stated, 'I think we will know in the next few weeks, whichever way it goes.' He reiterated his desire for the conflict to end, saying, 'I want this war to end because I don't want to see so many people killed. We are losing a tremendous number of people, the highest since World War II.' Trump stated that the peace agreement for Ukraine is 'closer than ever.' He warned that the Russia-Ukraine war could lead to World War III. Trump also mentioned that the U.S. has seized a large oil tanker in waters near Venezuela, issuing a warning to Colombia. The President of the United States called for an end to the killings in Ukraine.