Trump erupts over 'dumb question' as he faces off with Zelensky

Asked how long it will take to end the war, Trump said it could be a "few weeks" unless talks fall apart over unexpected issues.

"In a few a weeks we will know one way or the other," he said.

Trump declined to give a percentage on the progress, saying instead that "we could be very close" once "one or two thorny issues, very tough issues" are resolved.

Asked whether an agreement had been reached on a "free economic zone" in Donbas, Trump said it is still "unresolved but it’s getting a lot closer".

Zelensky in turn said Ukraine’s attitude to Donbas is "very clear" and that his country has "a different position to Russia".

Zelensky thanked Trump for "a great meeting in this amazing place”.

He said the delegations discussed "all aspects of the peace framework", describing the 20-point peace plan as "90 per cent agreed". He had previously described the plan as 90 per cent ready before the meeting.

Zelensky added: "We agreed that security guarantees are a key milestone in achieving lasting peace and our teams will continue working on all aspects."

Trump said he and Zelensky also spoke with European leaders, adding: "They're all great leaders, and we had a great talk with them."

Trump told reporters he and Zelensky had a "terrific" meeting, adding: "We discussed a lot of points. I do think we're getting a lot closer, maybe very close."

As the meeting takes place, here are the key issues Zelensky and Trump are expected to discuss:

• Ukraine is seeking Nato-style security guarantees from the US to deter future Russian attacks. Kyiv also wants to maintain its armed forces at around 800,000 troops.
• Zelensky is pushing for a specific date for Ukraine to join the EU.
• Zelensky has proposed the creation of a demilitarised zone in the eastern Donetsk region, overseen by international forces. Russia has demanded full control of Donbas, including the 25 per cent of the Donetsk region that it has not occupied.
• Kyiv is pushing for $800bn in aid to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy.
• Zelensky has proposed joint control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with Ukraine keeping half the energy and the US deciding how to allocate the other half.

Asked by Politico on Friday about Zelensky's latest proposal, Trump said: "He doesn’t have anything until I approve it," adding: "So we’ll see what he’s got."

Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov has revealed what was supposedly discussed by Trump and Putin during their call.

He said the call was initiated by Trump and lasted more than an hour. Both Putin and Trump are said to have agreed that a temporary ceasefire proposed by the EU and Ukraine would only prolong the bloodshed.

Ushakov added that Ukraine must make "courageous, responsible political decision" regarding the eastern Donbas region. "Given the situation on the front lines, Kyiv needs to make that decision without delay," he said.

Minutes into his address, Trump slammed a reporter over their "dumb question". The reporter asked the US president about security guarantees, to which he replied: "What a dumb question. Nobody knows what the security agreement is going to say."

He continued: "There will be an agreement, will be. The European Nations have been really great. They are very much in line with this, they are all terrific people."

During his address, Trump said he thinks the peace deal is in its final stages.

"Otherwise, it's going to go on for a long time," he said. "And millions of additional people are going to be killed, millions."

Asked what he expects from today's talks, Trump said: "we can move very rapidly", adding, "Ukraine appreciates it, and Russia appreciates it. They both want to see it end, and we're going to get it into."

Trump and Zelensky shook hands and stopped for pictures ahead of their meeting.

Trump took several questions from reporters. Asked whether he thinks Putin is serious about peace this time, the US president said: "I do, I do. I think he is, I think they both are."

In response to another question, Trump said: "We’ve got to make a deal, got to get it done … I think both presidents want to make a deal."

Trump said he would inform Zelensky about his call with Putin.

Trump and Zelensky are speaking in Florida ahead of their meeting. You can watch it live here.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that any European troops stationed in Ukraine would be a "legitimate target".

In an interview with Russian news agency Tass published earlier today, Lavrov told European leaders: "There is no need to be afraid of Russia attacking anyone," but warned that "should anyone consider attacking Russia, they would face a devastating blow".

Speaking about today's meeting between Trump and Zelensky, Lavrov said Russia "appreciates" the US president's efforts to secure a deal but said that Zelensky is "not ready to engage in constructive talks".

Downing Street has commented on the call between PM Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of today's meeting in Florida.

In a statement, No 10 said the Starmer "reaffirmed the United Kingdom's unwavering support for Ukraine and its commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace".

Downing Street added that both Starmer and Zelensky "commended" Trump's "continued engagement in securing peace".

The meeting is due to begin in less than 30 minutes.

European leaders will join the meeting between Zelensky and Trump via phone, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian president said.

The Kremlin confirmed to state news agencies that Putin and Trump spoke by phone but gave no details about the conversation.

Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a "detailed" phone call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"We discussed preparations for the meeting with President Trump, as well as all our contacts with European partners," the Ukrainian president wrote on X. "I informed him on the situation on the frontline and on the consequences of Russian strikes."

Zelensky has said he plans to discuss the contested eastern Donbas region, where Ukraine has proposed creating a demilitarised "free economic zone" in areas that Russia has failed to take by force.

Talks are also expected to cover the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, among other issues.

Videos on social media show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arriving at Miami’s airport earlier today.

Zelensky has arrived in Miami for a meeting with Trump. pic.twitter.com/ifvrExxAmC

— KyivPost (@KyivPost) December 28, 2025

Sergey Mikheyev said that part of what he described as the "Russian civilisation" had become "anti‑Russia" in reference to Ukraine.

He continued: "Therefore, when they [the West] say, 'Ukraine should never again, so to speak, become the object of Putin’s aggression,' they need to understand a simple thing: as long as Ukraine remains anti‑Russia, it will be a military target for Russia - under Putin, after Putin, under whoever comes after Putin, and so on, and so on."

Mikheyev later added: "The split is gradually deepening, and it is, of course, beneficial for us that the European Union should not exist.

"I’ll repeat once again: the Babylonian tower of the European Union must be destroyed. It is beneficial for us to build bilateral relations with individual European countries. That is more reliable, that is better."

He concluded: "The tasks before us include strengthening our own army, new types of weapons, and an economy oriented toward domestic production and self‑sufficiency."

A Russian propagandist claimed most Russians would support nuclear strikes against Ukraine and parts of Europe ahead of Trump and Zelensky's crunch meeting today. Sergey Mikheyev made the inflammatory comments on the primetime programme The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov on Russian state TV.

Mikheyev said in Russian: "They [the West] have this myth: that Putin supposedly went mad, and that’s why he’s doing all this. Listen, I've said many times in this studio: if you held a referendum on our military policy and asked the Russian population what should have been done, Europe and Ukraine would have long since been smoking with radioactive ash.

"If, hypothetically, you asked the majority of the population - indeed, the entire population of Russia - what should be done, the answer would be: to burn everything to hell so that they never open their mouths again."