Trump says he believes Putin after meeting Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump to discuss the 20-point peace plan on Sunday, December 29, 2025.

After three hours of thorough discussions, none of the leaders announced any major breakthrough; however, Trump appeared hopeful that peace was near.

The U.S. president, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to meeting with Zelenskyy, said: “Putin was serious about peace. He wants it to happen. He wants to see it. He told me very strongly, I believe him.”

He said there was no deadline in his mind for ending the war in Ukraine, adding, “It’s possible that it (peace agreement) doesn’t happen.”

The 47th U.S. president, who has repeatedly claimed credit for stopping eight major wars, said that he would talk to Putin after the meeting as well - a move that has frustrated many Ukrainian supporters who argue that Trump hears Putin’s perspective both before and after meetings with his Ukrainian counterpart.

He also praised the Russian president for not bombing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: “It’s a big step.”

Zelensky said that 90 percent of the peace plan has been agreed upon; however, the remaining 10 percent remains contentious.

Key areas of conflict include land concessions and the fate and control of the nuclear power plant.

Earlier, in talks with Putin, Trump agreed with the Russian counterpart that a temporary truce was not feasible as it would only prolong the conflict.

It remains to be seen if Russia would be willing to accept the terms of the 20-point peace plan that the allies, Ukraine and the U.S. are struggling to agree on.