As diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine-Russia war intensify, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed plans to meet with US President Donald Trump this Sunday in Florida. The high-stakes summit comes amid a concentrated push by Washington to broker a peace agreement, with negotiating teams from multiple nations working to finalize a comprehensive framework that addresses security, territorial, and reconstruction concerns.
The Ukrainian president expressed urgency about the upcoming discussions, stating that his team is not wasting any time in preparing for the meeting. Zelenskyy revealed that talks with Trump would delve into the most sensitive aspects of peace negotiations, including security guarantees for Ukraine, funding for reconstruction, and territorial arrangements concerning the contested Donbas region and the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He indicated that the proposed peace plan is approximately 90% ready, with significant progress achieved by Ukrainian and American negotiating teams.
The current peace proposal evolved from a 28-point plan that emerged from November discussions involving US officials and Russian representatives. Critics initially viewed that framework as skewed toward Russian preferences, prompting Ukraine to advocate for modifications including robust security guarantees comparable to NATO’s collective defense commitments. However, Moscow’s receptiveness to such provisions remains unclear, with Zelenskyy observing that Russian negotiators persistently “look for reasons not to agree” to proposed terms.
Trump offered cautious comments about the upcoming meeting, telling reporters he anticipated a “good” discussion but declining to endorse any specific proposals. “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said of Zelenskyy’s plan. The American president also mentioned expecting to speak with Putin soon, maintaining engagement with the Russian leader as part of the broader diplomatic effort. Recent activity included separate meetings in Miami between Trump’s envoy and Russian and Ukrainian representatives, which US officials characterized as constructive despite Moscow’s efforts to temper expectations.
The diplomatic activity unfolds against a backdrop of continued violence and shifting battlefield dynamics. Early Saturday, Kyiv faced missile and drone attacks requiring citywide air defenses, demonstrating the war’s unrelenting intensity. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces recently recaptured Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, contradicting earlier Russian claims of controlling the city. This victory exposed problems with Russian military reporting, with prominent military bloggers criticizing the submission of false battlefield assessments. Russian officials continue to assert they’re prepared to fight indefinitely if negotiations fail, while simultaneously engaging in diplomatic discussions, creating a complex and uncertain environment as parties work toward a potential peace agreement.