Will the Russia–Ukraine war end in the new year? Zelensky and Trump hint at a deal amid Putin’s hard stance

New York (The Uttam Hindu): US President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine war that has continued for four years. On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. After the meeting, Trump indicated that a major agreement to end the war could be very close.

Trump said both sides are “quite close, maybe very close” to a deal. Zelensky wrote on social media platform X that US and Ukrainian teams will meet next week to finalize all discussed issues. He also said Trump will host Ukrainian and European leaders in Washington next month.

From Russia’s side, Kremlin spokesperson Yuri Ushakov said talks with the United States will continue through two working groups, one on security matters and another on economic issues. Their terms are expected to be set in early January. After discussions on a 20-point peace proposal, Zelensky said, “We discussed all aspects of the peace framework and made important progress. Security guarantees are the most critical element for lasting peace, and work on them will continue.”

During the meeting, Trump and Zelensky also held a conference call with European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Ukraine continues to receive strong backing from Western Europe and Canada. Von der Leyen wrote on Bluesky that “good progress” has been made and stressed that any peace deal must include strong and credible security guarantees.

Under the proposed plan, Western European countries would provide military support to Ukraine, while Kyiv wants US backing through a bilateral security agreement. The framework would be anchored in Ukraine’s future European Union membership. Trump supported the idea of security guarantees, saying, “There will be a security agreement. It will be a strong agreement with full European involvement.”

Before meeting Zelensky, Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over an hour. Trump said, “Putin wants to see this happen. I trust him.” Ushakov said Putin told Trump that Kyiv must take bold and responsible political decisions aligned with Russia’s position. He also said Trump acknowledged that the Ukraine crisis has been his biggest foreign policy challenge.

During his election campaign, Trump had promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office. However, even after months of diplomacy, multiple meetings with Zelensky, and engagement with Putin, the conflict continues. Key hurdles include security guarantees without NATO membership and the future of the Donbas region. Russia wants full control of Donbas, including areas it does not currently occupy, while Zelensky has proposed demilitarizing the region.

Putin appears determined to secure Donbas through military means. Ushakov warned that, given changing battlefield conditions, it would be in Ukraine’s interest to decide on Donbas without delay. Trump also cautioned that the agreement may still fail, saying, “It’s possible this doesn’t come together. We’ll know in a few weeks.” While talks have raised hopes for peace, the path forward remains difficult and uncertain.