Trump says Zelenskyy 'reasonably close' to agreeing to peace plan

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is "reasonably close" to agreeing to his administration's plan to end the Russian war.

"We think we have a way of getting peace, he's going to have to approve it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he hosted New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. "I think they're getting reasonably close, but I don't want to predict."

Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy said Kyiv intensified discussions with Washington on the American proposal to end the war, following an almost hour-long call with US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll.

In a statement on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the sides “managed to cover a lot of details of the American side’s proposals for ending the war,” adding that Ukraine is working to ensure the path forward is “dignified and truly effective for achieving a lasting peace.”

He expressed gratitude for Washington’s “attention and willingness to work together with us and our partners,” noting that Ukraine, the US and European states agreed to continue coordination “at the level of national security advisors to make the path to peace truly doable.”

“Ukraine has always respected and continues to respect US President Donald Trump’s desire to put an end to the bloodshed, and we view every realistic proposal positively,” he said, stressing that the sides agreed to maintain constant contact and teams “are ready to work 24/7.”

Zelenskyy’s remarks come amid discussions about the contours of the US-drafted proposal and Kyiv’s insistence that any settlement must guarantee a sustainable and just peace.

Trump previously said he thinks Nov. 27 is an "appropriate" deadline for Ukraine's response.

Asked about reports that the US threatened to withhold military and intelligence assistance for Kyiv if Ukraine does not agree to the proposal, a US official said, "It was strongly implied to the Ukrainians that the United States expects them to agree to a peace deal."

“Any changes will be decided upon by the president himself," the official told Anadolu.