(Picture: Reuters)
President Donald Trump has said Russia and Ukraine are ‘closer than ever’ to peace as he tries to close out a peace agreement that would end nearly four years of war.
The talks came as Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s capital with one man has died and three other people were injured in a Russian bomb attack in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk.
The US President hailed the Ukrainians for their brave fight but said there were still ‘some issues that are unresolved’.
Trump confirmed the Russians have been asking for the disputed Donbas region in the negotiations.
Trump said: ‘That’s what they’ve been asking for, there is a dispute about that. I think they are going to have to iron that out.’
Zelensky said their teams have been working for peace after many months.
He said: ‘Our attitude is very clear it is a very tough question and we have different views to Russia.’
‘The land has been ours for a lot of generations.’
Trump added: ‘I want it ended. We are losing masses of people the most since World War II.
‘The land has been taken, some of it is maybe up for grabs. It may be taken in the next months. You are better off making a deal now.’
‘[Ukraine] continue to fight very hard, been very brave and do tremendous damage. But Russia wanted to see it ended, Ukraine would like to see it ended. There are a lot of brave people who are dead now unfortunately.’
Arguments over the Donbas
At the heart of the negotiations lies the contentious territorial dispute concerning the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, known as the Donbas.
This is the most ‘difficult point’, Zelensky said, and that these matters will be discussed at the leaders’ level.
Russia continues to assert maximalist demands, insisting that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory in Donetsk that it has not captured – an ultimatum that Ukraine has rejected.
Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70% of Donetsk.
In a bid to facilitate compromise, the United States has proposed transforming these areas into free economic zones.
Ukraine insists that any arrangement must be contingent upon a referendum, allowing the Ukrainian people to determine their own fate.
Ukraine is demanding the demilitarisation of the area and the presence of an international force to ensure stability, Zelensky said.
Trump said Vladimir Putin wants to work together with Ukraine to reopen the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, ‘the biggest in the world’ with 5,000 employees.
‘That’s a big step when [Putin’s] not bombing that plant,’ he said.
Trump said he had a nearly three hour phone call with Putin and believes the US could have traded ‘great minerals’ with Russia but were stopped ‘by the Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax created by Hilary Clinton.
Before the meeting a reporter asked whether Russia had launched strong attacks showed Putin wasn’t serious about peace.
Trump replied: ‘No, he is very serious. I can say that I believe that Ukraine has launched some strong attacks also. I don’t say that negatively, I think you have to.
‘I think there have been explosions in various parts of Russia and I don’t think they came from the Congo, I don’t think it came from the United States. It possibly came from Ukraine. I haven’t asked yet.’
He added: ‘We have two willing parties, two willing countries who want to see it end. The people of Ukraine and the people of Russia want it to end. The two leaders want it to end.
‘Otherwise, it’s going to go on for a long time.
‘And millions of additional people are going to be killed. Millions and we don’t want that.’
Trump told reporters he would move rapidly and update Russian President Vladimir Putin after their meeting.
Kyiv officials said three guided aerial bombs launched by Russia struck private homes in Sloviansk overnight into Sunday.
That came a day after Russia attacked Ukraine’s capital with ballistic missiles and drones, killing at least one person and wounding 27.
Explosions boomed across Kyiv as the attack began early on Saturday and continued for hours.
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, said a phonecall was initiated by the US side, lasted over an hour, and was ‘friendly, benevolent, and businesslike.’
Trump and Zelensky are meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club in Palm Beach, where the US president is spending the holidays.
Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed the UK’s ‘unwavering support’ for Ukraine in a conversation with Zelensky after he missed talks with EU leaders.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: ‘The Prime Minister reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for Ukraine and its commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace.
‘They condemned Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion, as well as the recent attack on Kyiv.
‘Both leaders welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts and commended President Trump’s continued engagement in securing peace.
‘The Prime Minister and President Zelensky agreed to remain in close contact in the coming days.’
