Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet former US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a US-brokered plan to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The talks aim to address peace proposals and US security guarantees for Kyiv.
Zelensky said the discussions will focus on a 20-point plan, now 90% complete, that includes potential compromises over the eastern Donbas region. He has suggested creating a demilitarised “free economic zone” in areas Ukraine might withdraw from, conditional on reciprocal Russian pullbacks.
Trump confirmed the upcoming meeting and indicated he would play a central role in approving any plan. He also expects to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon and noted visits from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are planned.
Meanwhile, Russia has not responded to Zelensky’s proposals on troop withdrawals. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned Ukraine against undermining the talks but described progress over Christmas as a milestone toward a possible resolution.
The scheduled Florida talks come amid ongoing Russian attacks in Ukraine. New strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv over the weekend caused casualties, with local officials reporting at least three dead and several injured. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitaliy Klitschko, urged residents to take shelter while air defenses repel the attacks.
The White House plan proposes a demilitarised zone in eastern Ukraine, avoiding the contentious issue of legal control over the territory. It also includes US and European security guarantees for Ukraine, military support under a model similar to NATO’s Article 5, and retention of an 800,000-strong Ukrainian force.
Key sticking points remain, including control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territorial claims in Donbas. Russia currently controls much of Donetsk and nearly all of Luhansk and has signaled it will not accept partial compromises, insisting Ukraine withdraw entirely from Donbas.
Zelensky has already held discussions with Trump’s chief negotiators, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, which he described as productive and generating “new ideas” for ending the war. The upcoming summit in Florida represents a critical opportunity to finalise agreements and potentially achieve a breakthrough before the new year.
