He Isn’t Ready: Trump on Zelenskyy not accepting Peace Deal
08th Dec. 2025
Following three days of negotiations in Florida, Donald Trump has said that President Zelenskyy “isn’t ready” to approve a US-authored peace proposal. Speaking to reporters on Sunday night, Trump said, “I’m a little bit disappointed that Zelenskyy had not yet reviewed the latest draft. It is aimed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.” He claimed that his people love it, but he hasn’t.
On the other side, the talks between senior US and Ukrainian officials on December 06 also ended without any apparent result. Later, Zelenskyy said the meetings had been “constructive, although not easy”. Additionally, he emphasized that Ukraine remained committed to working “in good faith” with the US to reach a viable settlement.
Debate over the terms of the US Peace Deal
Despite Washington’s push to finalize the proposal, significant disagreements remain at the top. This dispute is particularly regarding the security guarantees for Kyiv, and the status of Russian-occupied territories. The plan has undergone several changes since November, mainly because of criticism that it appeared too favorable to Russia.
Although Trump reiterated that “Russia is, I believe, fine with the deal, but I’m not sure about Zelenskyy”. Furthermore, President Putin hasn’t said anything about the White House Plan in public, and in addition to it, he also highlights several components of Trump’s approach that were unworkable. Moreover, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Putin in Moscow to move the conversation forward, but meeting produced no visible progress.
Meanwhile, Trump’s outgoing Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, said on Saturday that the peace effort was in the “last 10 meters”. According to him, “There are only two major obstacles, which include territory and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”.
European Leaders Are Prepared to Make a Stand
Today, Zelenskyy is expected to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as the leaders of France and Germany. Their discussions will focus on the US-Ukraine talks and the broader regional security environment. Starmer has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine “must determine its own future,” while suggesting that a European peacekeeping force could play a “vital role” in long-term stability.
Historically, Trump’s relationship with Ukraine has been fluctuating since returning to the White House. He has frequently urged Kyiv to concede land to Russia to stop what he describes as a conflict that “has cost far too many lives.” Nevertheless, Zelenskyy said on Saturday that he held a “substantive phone call” with US representatives when Ukrainian delegates were engaged in talks in Florida. Later, Zelenskyy posted on Social media, stating, “Ukraine is determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace”.
The Trump administration’s newly released national security strategy was welcomed by Moscow on Sunday. The document signals Washington’s desire to improve ties with Russia after years of hostility. At the same time, Trump’s son, Donald Jr., stated on Sunday that Zelenskyy was purposefully prolonging the battle out of fear of losing power if it ended. He stated that the United States will no longer be “the idiot with the chequebook”. However, with both Kyiv and Moscow showing little readiness to sign the current proposal, the path to a final peace deal remains uncertain.
Web Resources on the US Peace Deal
1. Reuters.com: US envoy says Ukraine peace deal is close but Moscow says it wants radical changes
2. TheGuardian.com: Trump says Zelenskyy ‘isn’t ready’ to accept US peace deal ahead of UK meeting with European leaders
3. AcademicBlock.com: Moscow Talks End Without Progress on Ukraine Peace Deal