A source familiar with the discussions stated that Sunday’s talks between President Donald Trump and could clear the path for the first phone call between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin in over five years.

While the Mar-a-Lago gathering was positioned as a step forward in the peace initiative led by Trump, the source also noted that securing a direct Zelenskyy-Putin call would be a “diplomatic victory” for the president.

“If Putin had joined a call on Sunday, this would have been the biggest achievement in preparing for peace talks and the first real step in the peace process,” the source told Digital on condition of anonymity.

“This would be a diplomatic victory for President Trump.”

“Trump appears to be the most effective mediator because Putin and Zelenskyy view each other emotionally, which is a challenge.”

Trump confirmed on Sunday that he had spoken with Putin before the Zelenskyy meeting, describing the conversation as “good and very productive” in a Truth Social post.

“I truly believe we have the foundations of a deal,” Trump told reporters while standing next to Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian leader arrived in Florida on Sunday, adding he thinks the process can “move very quickly.”

“I think we’re in the final stages of discussions, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump said.

“Otherwise, it’s going to drag on for a long time. Either it will end, or it will continue for a long time, and millions more people will be killed,” the president added.

The meeting came days after Zelenskyy also mentioned he had a “good conversation” with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, both of whom were present on Sunday.

As Zelenskyy prepared for Sunday’s meeting, the source said the Ukrainian leader was likely feeling anxious.

“Zelenskyy is usually very nervous before such talks with President Trump,” the source said. “He focuses intensely for long periods and studies notes prepared by the International Policy Department and the Foreign Ministry.”

Sunday also marked the third in-person meeting between since Trump returned to office.

The source said the central topic of discussion was a U.S.-backed 20-point peace plan developed over weeks of negotiations, which requires compromises from Kyiv and Moscow to engage and possibly speak directly with Zelenskyy.

“The main obstacle is that Putin has refused to talk to Zelenskyy since July 2020, when they discussed the Wagner scandal and the failed operation to detain Russian Wagner militants.”

“After that, Zelenskyy tried repeatedly to talk to Putin, but he declined.”

“There were opportunities for a conversation in August and September 2024, but they vanished again when Ukraine invaded the Kursk region,” the source said.

The last direct contact between the two leaders followed a botched Ukrainian operation targeting Russian Wagner mercenaries.

Ukrainian intelligence lured the mercenaries to Belarus and planned to intercept them on their way from Minsk to Istanbul, but the men were arrested first, per .

“That final call between Zelenskyy and Putin happened as Ukraine was trying to capture a group of Russian Wagner fighters,” the source said. “The operation failed.”

Even before communication completely broke down, relations between the two leaders were strained, the source noted.

“Before that 2020 incident, calls between Zelenskyy and Putin were never friendly, and there was always tension. Putin was always quiet during talks, and Zelenskyy tried to build a rapport.”

“Zelenskyy always acted deferentially toward Putin and pretended to be in a good mood, almost like he was performing a role on stage,” the source explained.

“He talked a lot and read from his notes, afraid of forgetting something. Sometimes he would stumble over words or lose track of punctuation.”

“When Putin stayed silent, Zelenskyy would always ask politely, ‘What do you think, Vladimir Vladimirovich?’”

“Putin was just never talkative,” the source said.

The Florida talks occurred as Kyiv signaled a possible shift in its negotiating stance. Zelenskyy has said the 20-point plan, which is 90% complete, could include limited Ukrainian troop withdrawals from parts of eastern Ukraine without formally recognizing Russian control, along with creating demilitarized zones.

He also proposed putting the plan to a national referendum if Moscow agrees to a 60-day ceasefire.

Zelenskyy has taken a firm stance on security guarantees, insisting Ukraine needs legally binding assurances from the U.S. to deter future Russian aggression.

“For us, it’s very important to send a signal that we want legally binding security guarantees,” Zelenskyy told Ukrainian journalists Saturday. “This mainly depends on President Trump,” he added.

“Ukraine is willing to compromise to stop this war,” Zelenskyy also wrote on X this weekend.

“For us, priority number one—or the only priority—is ending the war. Our priority is peace. We need to be strong at the negotiating table. To be strong, we need support from the world: Europe and the United States.”

Digital has reached out to the Kremlin and President Zelenskyy’s office for comment.