If you’ve been keeping an eye on the headlines lately, you know that the meeting with Zelensky and Trump at Mar-a-Lago this past December wasn't exactly a tea party. It was tense. It was loud. Honestly, it was a bit of a circus. But beneath all the TV cameras and the Florida sunshine, something much more consequential was happening. This wasn't just two leaders shaking hands for a photo op; it was the start of a high-stakes gamble to end a war that has been grinding on for nearly four years.
What Actually Happened at Mar-a-Lago?
Most people think these summits are all about the fancy dinners and the joint press conferences. They aren't. Not this time. When President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stepped out of his SUV at Trump’s Florida estate on December 28, 2025, the air was thick with expectation. This was their third face-to-face sit-down since Trump’s second term began, and the stakes couldn't have been higher.
Trump has been very vocal—kinda obsessively so—about ending the war "immediately." He’s been pushing a peace plan that basically tells Ukraine they need to make some "hard choices." Zelenskyy, on the other hand, is walking a tightrope. He needs American weapons and intelligence to keep his country from collapsing, but he can't just sign away 20% of his territory and expect to stay in power.
The meeting lasted about two and a half hours. According to pool reports, they spent a lot of time talking about "security guarantees." Zelenskyy is basically saying, "Look, if we're going to stop fighting, you have to promise us that Putin won't just reload his tanks and come back in six months."
Trump, typically, was playing the negotiator. He’s mentioned that he thinks he can get a deal because he has a "great relationship" with both Zelenskyy and Putin. But we've seen this movie before. In February 2025, their Oval Office meeting turned into a televised shouting match after a reporter asked about Trump’s ties to Russia. This Florida meeting was supposed to be the "fix," but it felt more like a temporary truce.
The 20-Point Plan and the "Sticking Points"
It’s easy to get lost in the rhetoric, so let’s look at the actual numbers. Negotiators have been haggling over a 20-point peace plan. Zelenskyy told reporters it’s "about 90% ready." That sounds great, right? Wrong. That last 10% is where the actual blood is.
📖 Related: What Really Happened With Trump Revoking Mayorkas Secret Service Protection
The sticking points are basically a nightmare for any diplomat:
- Territory: Russia wants to keep what they've grabbed. Ukraine says no way.
- NATO: Trump’s team, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, has floated the idea of Ukraine staying out of NATO for 20 years.
- Security Guarantees: This is the big one. Ukraine wants "Article 5-like" protection from the West. Trump seems more interested in "transactional" security—basically, Ukraine pays for the protection or offers up raw minerals and energy deals.
The Mineral Deal: It’s Not Just About Peace
Here’s a detail most people miss: the money. During the 2025 meetings, there was a lot of talk about Ukraine’s raw minerals. We’re talking about lithium, titanium, and other stuff that the U.S. desperately needs for high-tech manufacturing. Trump hasn't been shy about this. He’s basically suggested that American aid should be tied to access to these resources.
Zelenskyy has been playing along, even meeting with executives from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, and talking with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. It’s a "business case" for peace. Ukraine is saying, "Help us stay independent, and we’ll make it worth your while financially." It’s a cynical way to look at a war, but in the current political climate in D.C., it’s the only language that seems to be working.
Why the 2019 "Perfect Call" Still Matters
You can't talk about a meeting with Zelensky and Trump without looking back at the 2019 scandal. You remember—the phone call that led to Trump’s first impeachment. Back then, it was about a "quid pro quo" involving investigations into the Bidens.
While that feels like ancient history, the "bad blood" is still there. Trump has, at various times, called Zelenskyy a "dictator" (mostly because of the postponed elections during martial law) and blamed him for the war starting in the first place. That history makes every handshake feel a little bit fake.
👉 See also: Franklin D Roosevelt Civil Rights Record: Why It Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
But Zelenskyy is a pragmatist. He knows he can’t win without the U.S. so he swallows the insults. He even brought a letter from his wife, Olena Zelenska, to Melania Trump during the August 2025 summit, thanking her for helping return kidnapped Ukrainian children. It’s those small, human touches that keep the relationship from completely imploding.
The European Perspective
While Trump and Zelenskyy are the main characters, the rest of Europe is watching this from the sidelines with a lot of anxiety. After the Mar-a-Lago meeting, the two leaders held a massive conference call with the "big players"—Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, and Keir Starmer.
The Europeans are worried. They fear Trump might cut a deal with Putin behind their backs. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has been the most vocal, essentially saying that any peace plan that doesn't include Ukraine's full sovereignty is just a surrender.
What’s Next? Actionable Insights for the Near Future
If you're trying to figure out where this is going, stop looking at the press releases and start looking at the schedule. There is another major meeting planned for January 2026. This is being billed as the "Final Settlement Summit."
Here is what you should be watching for:
✨ Don't miss: 39 Carl St and Kevin Lau: What Actually Happened at the Cole Valley Property
- The Ceasefire Draft: Watch for news about a "30-day humanitarian pause." This has been proposed before and failed, but if it happens now, it means a real deal is close.
- Mineral Agreements: Keep an eye on any contracts signed between Ukraine and American energy or mining firms. If these start moving forward, it’s a sign that Trump is satisfied with the "business side" of the alliance.
- The Kursk Factor: The situation on the ground in the Kursk region remains a major bargaining chip. Ukraine wants to use that territory to trade for its own land back. If they lose it before the January summit, their leverage drops to zero.
The reality is that the meeting with Zelensky and Trump was never meant to be a final answer. It was a pressure test. Trump is testing how much Zelenskyy will give up, and Zelenskyy is testing how much Trump actually cares about European stability versus just "getting a win."
Expect a lot of "he said, she said" in the coming weeks. The Kremlin is already chiming in, with Dmitry Peskov saying they "agree" with Trump that Ukraine is the obstacle. That’s a classic divide-and-conquer tactic.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, don't just read the headlines. Look for the technical details on weapons shipments and the specific wording of security guarantees. That’s where the real war is being fought right now—in the fine print of a 20-point plan in a Florida resort.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Monitor the "Coalition of the Willing" updates: This group of European nations is meeting separately to firm up legal guarantees for Ukraine in case the U.S. deal falls through.
- Watch the 2026 U.S. Budget: See if the proposed $16.4 billion in humanitarian aid stays frozen or gets tied to specific mineral concessions.
- Track Official Briefings: Follow the statements from National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for the most accurate "inside" look at the negotiation progress.