For Zelensky, Just Keeping Trump Talking About Ukraine Peace Deal Counts as a Win

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Constant MéheutDecember 29, 2025 at 11:50 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

In late December 2025, President Zelensky of Ukraine met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida for peace talks, with little tangible progress made. Despite the stalemate, the meeting is considered a win for Zelensky, as Trump signaled continued engagement in negotiations and refrained from setting deadlines or echoing Russia's demands. This is a shift from Trump's earlier stance, where he seemed to side with the Kremlin. Zelensky expressed appreciation for the progress made and indicated potential for further negotiations involving European leaders, possibly hosted in the US next month. Key sticking points remain, including the status of Ukrainian-held land and a Russian-occupied nuclear power plant.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Donetsk 30% Mar-a-Lago ×240% Kyiv 40% Vladimir V. Putin 50% United States ×260% Russia ×370% Ukraine ×680% Volodymyr Zelensky ×990% Donald Trump ×890%

Keywords

ukraine peace deal 100% peace talks 80% negotiations 70% u.s. support 60% stalemate 50% russian intervention 50% maximalist demands 40% sticking points 40%