An agreement appears ever closer and "if things go well, it could be reached within a few weeks." Donald Trump appears optimistic next to Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of their meeting, preceded by a long and "very constructive" phone call with Vladimir Putin. The two leaders say they are 90-95% in agreement, although two key issues remain unresolved: security guarantees for Ukraine and the fate of Donbass, which remains "a difficult issue. We have different positions with Russia," Zelensky reiterated. "I wouldn't say we have agreement on this point, but we're getting closer . It's a big issue, but we're closer than we probably were. We're moving in the right direction," the American president explained in response to those who asked if there was an agreement on Donbass as a free trade zone.
Another unresolved issue, besides the territories, is a possible truce: "We're working on it, I understand Vladimir Putin on this point," the tycoon observed. During the phone call with the tsar that preceded the bilateral meeting with Zelensky, Washington and Moscow—the Kremlin reported—agreed that a truce would only prolong hostilities. Another unresolved issue is the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant : Trump and Putin discussed it, and the Kremlin leader "is working with Ukraine to get it opened. He's good at that," the American president emphasized, after noting that Putin is "very serious" about seeking peace. Both Zelensky and the tsar "want an agreement" and that "the elements exist to reach it. We are in the final stages of talks. Either the war will end or it will go on for a long time ," was the tycoon's analysis. For now, however, a three-way meeting seems unlikely : "It will happen at the right time," Trump noted, adding that Russia will "help" with Ukraine's reconstruction. "They want it to be successful," the tycoon explained. During the face-to-face meeting with Zelensky, Trump also connected with European leaders. Europe will play a role in providing security guarantees for Kiev: "There will be a security agreement. It will be a solid agreement. European nations are involved in this," Trump emphasized, without however going into detail.
