Trump Says He Will Meet With Zelenskyy, Ukraine–Russia Deal ‘Reasonably Close’

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Switzerland on Thursday, saying he is confident that an agreement to put an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine is forthcoming.

“I think I can say that we’re reasonably close,” Trump told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, after his speech at the World Economic Forum. “We have to get it stopped. … I believe they’re at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done. And if they don’t, they’re stupid.”

Diplomatic efforts have intensified as the war closes in on its fourth anniversary, Feb. 24. Trump, who has worked as a mediator, has said Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to make a deal.”

Past negotiations failed due to “abnormal hatred” between the leaders, said Trump, who added that Zelenskyy was the most recent hurdle to a deal coming together.

In the wake of a Dec. 28, 2025, meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the president said the United States and Ukraine were “a lot closer” to a peace plan despite territorial disputes in Donbas remaining an impediment to peace.

“The land you’re talking about, some of that land has been taken,“ Trump said, referring to one of the main issues in the negotiations that remained unresolved. “Some of that land is maybe up for grabs, but it may be taken over the next period of a number of months.”

Zelenskyy, in a Jan. 12 address, confirmed working with Trump’s envoys on meeting schedules, stating, “our documents are, in many respects, already prepared for signing.”

He underscored the need for pressure on Russia, noting, “all options for pressure on the aggressor must remain on the table.”

Zelenskyy told Bloomberg in January that U.S. troops must be involved in any peacekeeping mission. The United States has vowed to grant such guarantees, including a proposed 15-year agreement, as well as possible U.S. military presence and minerals-for-aid deals.

Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, dedicated to global conflicts with a focus on the Middle East, has invited Putin to join.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Jan. 19, “President Putin has indeed received an offer through diplomatic channels to join this Board of Peace. We are currently studying all the details of this proposal.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney supports the Trump-Zelenskyy peace efforts.

“We support the efforts of President Trump and President Zelenskyy to reach a negotiated settlement and we stand ready to provide robust [support],” Carney said in December 2025.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said U.S.-Europe ties have “never been closer” on Jan. 20.

Reuters contributed to this report.