President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday in the latest effort to close out four years of war.
Trump greeted Zelenskyy outside his Florida estate, where the pair took questions from the media before starting their talks.
“I do believe that we have the makings of a deal,” Trump told reporters as he stood beside Zelenskyy, adding that he believes the process can “move very rapidly.”
He described the talks as being in the “final stages,” but made a dire prediction of what could happen if the sides do not reach an agreement soon.
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“I think we’re in final stages of talking, and we’re going to see,” Trump said. “Otherwise, it’s going to go on for a long time. It’ll either end, or it’s going to go on for a long time and millions of additional people are going to be killed.”
Participants on the U.S. side of Sunday’s meeting include Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and others.
Trump and Zelenskyy are expected to take further questions in a joint appearance following their meeting.
Russian and Ukrainian negotiations have repeatedly broken down over where the final territorial lines will fall in a peace agreement.
“Ukraine is willing to do whatever it takes to stop this war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X this weekend. “For us, priority number one – or the only priority – is ending the war. For us, the priority is peace. We need to be strong at the negotiating table. To be strong, we need the support of the world: Europe and the United States.”
“In this war of Russia against Ukraine, we want peace, and Russia demonstrates a desire to continue the war. If the whole world – Europe and America – is on our side, together we will stop Putin. Because together we will all want the same thing: an end to the war, peace – a normal peace, a sustainable peace, safe for the whole world,” he continued.
Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone ahead of Sunday’s meeting.
Trump said the conversation was “good and very productive,” but did not offer details.
“I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The meeting will take place in the main dining room of Mar-a-Lago. Press is invited,” Trump wrote.
Zelenskyy’s statement came after Russia redoubled its attacks against Kyiv, sending an overnight assault involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles on Saturday. Zelenskyy said the attack put the “true attitude” of Putin and his inner circle on display.
The overnight blitz in Ukraine’s capital left at least one person dead and 27 injured, local authorities told The Associated Press.
Trump, ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, has said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict.
“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump told Politico Friday. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
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