Donald Trump looked every bit the deal-maker in chief as he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into the sun-soaked chaos of Mar-a-Lago, declaring that Vladimir Putin is “very serious” about ending the war that has ravaged Ukraine for nearly four years.
With cameras flashing and reporters shouting questions, Trump stood outside his Palm Beach palace alongside Zelensky and brushed aside doubts about Russia’s intentions, even as bombs have continued to fall on Kyiv. Asked point-blank whether he really believes Putin wants peace, Trump didn’t hesitate. “I do, I do. I think he is. I think they both are,” he said
BREAKING: Trump just said that Putin is “serious” about peace. He just got off the phone with Putin. This meeting comes just hours after Putin launched one of the most intense attacks on Kyiv during the war. Trump is easy to manipulate. It is dangerous. pic.twitter.com/SPNgoUU1zJ
— Trump Lie Tracker (Commentary Account) (@MAGALieTracker) December 28, 2025
For Trump, the moment was about urgency and exhaustion. He painted a grim picture of a war that, in his telling, nobody truly wants anymore. “Gotta make a deal. Gotta get it done, too many people dying, and I think both Presidents want to make a deal,” Trump said, framing himself as the man who can finally force an ending.
Critics have pointed to Russia’s latest strikes on Ukraine’s capital as proof that peace is still a fantasy. Trump wasn’t buying it. “No, he’s very serious. I believe Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also – and I don’t say that negatively. You probably have to,” he said, according to the BBC. Trump went further, claiming the hunger for peace runs deeper than politics.
“The people of Ukraine want it to end, and the people of Russia want it to end, the two leaders want it to end,” he said, delivering his most sweeping statement of the day. Despite the pressure, Trump made it clear he isn’t racing the clock. “I don’t have deadlines. You know what my deadline is? Getting the war ended,” he said, refusing to promise a breakthrough by year’s end
President Trump About President Putin
“President Putin is very serious about Peace”
And You can see the face of beggar
— Vladimir Putin News (@vladimirputiniu) December 28, 2025
The president confirmed he plans to speak again with Putin after his sit-down with Zelensky, following an earlier call between the two leaders that already has Washington buzzing. Inside Mar-a-Lago, the scene was anything but casual. This wasn’t just lunch, it was a full-blown power summit. Trump’s inner circle packed the room, signaling how high the stakes truly are.
Among those present were Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, policy heavyweight Stephen Miller, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Even Jared Kushner and federal acquisitions boss Josh Gruenbaum were in attendance. As the doors shut and the talks began, the message was clear: Trump is betting his legacy on pulling off what years of diplomacy couldn’t. Whether Putin, Zelensky, and the world are ready to follow him there is another story entirely.
