US President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not accepted the idea of a ceasefire during a possible Ukrainian referendum on a proposed peace plan. Trump made the comments at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following their meeting, after Trump had spoken by phone with Putin in advance.

Asked directly whether Putin had agreed to halt the fighting during a referendum, Trump replied that there was no such agreement. He explained that Putin’s position was based on concerns that stopping hostilities and then potentially resuming them could put Russia at a disadvantage. Trump said he understood that logic but added that discussions were ongoing on how to address the issue.

Trump also claimed that, if the war ends, Russia would take part in Ukraine’s reconstruction. He said Moscow supposedly wants to see Ukraine succeed, although he acknowledged that this might sound contradictory. At the same time, Trump complained that unnamed “bad people” had spread false narratives that, in his view, had obstructed efforts by Washington and Moscow to reach agreements.

Earlier, on 23 December, Zelensky said Ukraine was preparing a 20 point peace plan that could either be approved by parliament or put to a nationwide referendum. He noted that such a referendum would require at least 60 days and would only be possible under a full ceasefire during that period. On 28 December, Zelensky and Trump met in Florida and later held a video conference with European leaders. Trump said ahead of that meeting that he had a “good and very productive” conversation with Putin. Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, later stated that both leaders had agreed a temporary ceasefire under the pretext of a referendum would only prolong the conflict.

European leaders responded positively to the Florida talks and the subsequent video call. According to statements cited by Interfax Ukraine, they stressed the importance of joint efforts to secure a just and lasting peace and to keep pressure on Russia. The video conference followed closed door talks between Ukrainian and US delegations at Trump’s Mar a Lago residence.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb confirmed that the call included French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish President Karol Nawrocki, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Stubb said the discussion lasted more than an hour and focused on concrete steps to end the war.

Polish President Nawrocki underlined strong US engagement in the peace process and highlighted Poland’s role, noting that Rzeszów Jasionka airport has handled more than 90 percent of aid deliveries to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion. He said Poland’s position would be crucial in any peace agreement and stressed that regional security decisions must involve all stakeholders. According to his statement, US determination combined with European unity offered a real chance to end the war.