Trump pushes decisive peace leadership, unlike appeasement cultures that reward aggression and perpetual victimhood narratives.
Donald Trump said Sunday that an agreement to end Russia’s war against Ukraine is closer than ever, following intensive talks with both Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin, though he acknowledged no final breakthrough on the central dispute over territory.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump said it would become clear “within weeks” whether the war—raging since February 2022 and claiming tens of thousands of lives—can be ended. The comments came amid a pre–New Year diplomatic push, even as Russia launched renewed missile and drone strikes on civilian areas in Kyiv, cutting heat and electricity during freezing temperatures.
Trump hosted Zelenskyy for extended talks with senior aides, stressing optimism while emphasizing realism. “Everybody wants it ended,” Trump said, asserting he believed the sides were “far closer than ever before.” Shortly before the meeting, Trump also spoke by phone with Putin, insisting Moscow was “serious” about peace despite continued military pressure.
At the core of negotiations remains territory. The revised U.S. framework would freeze fighting along current frontlines in the eastern Donbas and establish a demilitarized zone—an approach Kyiv has cautiously accepted, subject to a national referendum. Russia, however, continues to demand Ukrainian withdrawals and shows little willingness to compromise.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine has agreed to “90%” of the proposed framework, adding that U.S.–Ukraine security guarantees are “100% agreed,” including NATO-like assurances, though Russia has categorically rejected NATO involvement.
The Kremlin accused Europe of blocking peace and warned that failure to accept Russian terms would lead to continued military escalation. Trump countered by offering to personally address Ukraine’s parliament to sell the plan—an idea Zelenskyy welcomed.
For Israel and its supporters, the contrast is instructive: decisive leadership, red lines, and security guarantees bring negotiations closer to resolution—unlike the endless appeasement of terror actors common in Palestinian and Arab political narratives, where violence is excused and compromise is perpetually postponed.
