In brief
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, before their meeting on 28 December Donald Trump told him by phone that he had "a long conversation with Putin" and had "gone through all 20 points of the peace plan point by point." The meeting between Trump and Zelensky lasted more than two hours; after it there were phone calls with European leaders. No concrete decisions have been made yet — the diplomatic process continues.
What Zelensky said
"President Trump told me that there was a long conversation with Putin, he went through all 20 points of the plan. Point by point. And I thanked him for that. It is important — that we all are in the same context, and that they discuss this document specifically, and not some other documents"
— Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine
"But I told the president [Trump] that for us it is very important… This is not the first time when Putin says one thing and does another. For us it is very important that words match actions"
— Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine
Position: why this matters
The phrase about the "20 points having been discussed" is not just diplomatic ritual. For Ukraine, the key issue is not so much what was said on the phone as how those words are transformed into security mechanisms: verification, guarantees, phased steps, and monitoring compliance with agreements. The risk for us is when declarations are not backed up by actions, but the very fact that the document is being discussed at the highest level opens political space for further negotiations and international pressure.
Key facts
- On 28 December Trump and Zelensky held a closed-door meeting with an expanded delegation; it lasted more than two hours.
- After the meeting there were phone conversations with European leaders.
- According to Zelensky, Trump said by phone that he discussed the "20 points" of a peace plan with Putin; the Ukrainian president did not disclose details of the conversation.
- No concrete decisions were recorded at the meeting — the diplomatic process is ongoing.
Analysis
Diplomatic contacts between the leaders of major countries always serve two purposes: reducing tensions and creating the political conditions for practical steps. Experts note that an exchange of positions alone is not yet a security guarantee. Ukraine needs to push for three things: 1) clear timelines for implementing the points, 2) verification mechanisms (independent observers, monitoring), 3) sanctions or other real consequences in case of non‑compliance. Without these, "going through the points" risks remaining at the level of declarations.
Conclusion
The fact of the conversation is a signal: the peace-plan issue is on the radar of international players. The next step for Ukraine and its partners is to turn words into concrete guarantees and control mechanisms. Whether the "20 points" become a document that protects our interests, or merely a diplomatic basis for further talks, depends on how quickly and firmly partners move from words to action.
