US President Donald Trump expressed optimism over the prospects of a peace deal in Ukraine ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to his Mar-a-Lago club on Sunday.
“Well, I think we have a good shot at it,” Trump told The New York Post in a phone call on Friday.
Challenges in negotiations
Trump acknowledged the difficulty of the talks, noting the unpredictable nature of Russia and Ukraine’s positions.
“I think they want to do it now, and I think that Russia wants to do it. But every time one wants to do it, the other doesn’t,” he said.
“I settled eight wars, and this is the most difficult of them all. But I think we’ll get it done,” Trump added.
Zelensky brings new peace plan
Zelensky is reportedly bringing a new 20-point peace proposal, a variation on a 28-point plan drafted in November by Trump’s negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The plan reportedly calls for a demilitarized “free economic zone.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly responded to the proposal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that “it has been agreed to continue the dialogue.”
Trump not endorsing plan yet
While Trump expressed cautious optimism, he has not yet endorsed Zelensky’s plan. In a separate interview with Politico, Trump stated: “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it. So we’ll see what he’s got.”