Trump-Zelenskyy peace talks: Why Mar-a-Lago was chosen over the White House

Trump-Zelenskyy peace talks: What made Mar-a-Lago the chosen venue

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks at Florida’s Mar-a-Lago to discuss efforts aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The meeting came hours after Trump said he had “productive” talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, part of a year-end push to secure a peace deal.

The leaders met a day after Moscow launched around 500 drones and 40 missiles on Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring 27 others. The strikes caused widespread power outages, affecting nearly 2,600 residential buildings and over 300 schools, pre-schools, and social service facilities.

US President Donald Trump said “a lot of progress” had been made in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago, though a BBC analysis noted little evidence of major breakthroughs in the peace process.

Trump described the discussions as “terrific” and said the sides were “very close” to a deal. Zelenskyy, who had said before the talks that 90% of a peace plan was complete, reiterated afterward that 90% of the plan was agreed.

Trump added that “one or two thorny issues remain” and warned that unexpected problems could still hinder progress, calling the question of territory an “unresolved issue” while expressing confidence it could be solved.

Neither leader provided a timeline, but both said their teams would continue talks in the coming weeks. Zelenskyy also mentioned the possibility of a future meeting in Washington with European leaders.

But this meeting, unlike all the meetings of the US President this one did not happen in White House.

Why was Mar-a-Lago chosen for the meeting?

Although most official meetings between Donald Trump and foreign leaders typically take place in the Oval Office, this time the two global leaders met at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

BBC reported that US presidents often spend the year-end at holiday destinations, noting that Joe Biden was in the US Virgin Islands around the same time last year.

This year, Trump arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida, on December 19 after a rally in North Carolina and has remained there since.

While in Florida, the President has reportedly continued working, though his schedule included extended golf sessions at the nearby Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach.

During his stay, Trump, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, unveiled a new “Trump-class” battleship as part of the US Navy’s revamped “Golden Fleet.”

According to the report, Republican strategists and political allies in the area have dubbed the Mar-a-Lago resort the “winter White House.”