Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Florida for critical talks with Donald Trump on ending the nearly four-year Ukraine war, with territorial concessions the most sensitive issue on the table
Volodymyr Zelensky has touched down in Florida for discussions with Donald Trump aimed at bringing an end to the nearly four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader revealed he had held conversations with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in preparation for the meeting, which is anticipated to centre on security assurances and territorial matters concerning the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Mr Zelensky has indicated that the 20-point draft proposal under consideration by negotiators is “about 90% ready”.
He expressed gratitude to Sir Keir for the “constant co-ordination” following their “detailed phone call” prior to the discussions.
Sir Keir reinforced the UK’s “unwavering support” for Ukraine during the conversation, with both leaders welcoming ongoing diplomatic initiatives and the US president’s continued involvement in pursuing peace, according to Downing Street.
In a post on X, Mr Zelensky remarked: “These are some of the most active diplomatic days of the year right now, and a lot can be decided before the New Year.”
He had made a stop in Canada to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney en route to the US talks, and held discussions with European allies on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump described having a “good and very productive” conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday morning.
This follows Russia’s launch of missile and drone strikes on Kyiv just one day before the scheduled talks, which Mr Zelensky described as evidence that “really shows that Putin doesn’t want peace”. The discussions in Florida represent the latest phase in Mr Trump’s year-long endeavour to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, having previously pledged to conclude the conflict on his first day in office.
Mr Zelensky has revealed that the preliminary peace plan includes a commitment from the US to provide guarantees akin to Nato’s Article 5. This means an assault on Ukraine would elicit a collective military response from the US and its allies.
However, crucial details are yet to be finalised, with territorial concessions being the most delicate of the issues the two leaders will negotiate.
On Christmas Eve, Mr Zelensky announced that the US and Ukraine had reached an agreement on several critical matters and suggested he was amenable to establishing a demilitarised zone along his country’s eastern border with Russia.
Nevertheless, he has consistently rebuffed Russian demands for Ukraine to relinquish control over two of its eastern regions, Luhansk and Donetsk.
Russia is also expected to oppose any involvement of Nato forces in overseeing a ceasefire, a condition which European leaders including Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron have insisted must be part of any agreement.
Other European stipulations include permitting Ukraine to maintain a peacetime military force of 800,000 troops and to join the EU, while the US has reportedly proposed unspecified security guarantees.
Mr Zelensky expressed hope that European leaders could participate in the discussions either on Sunday or at a future date.
