Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that he is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida this weekend to discuss key issues including security guarantees for Ukraine and postwar reconstruction.
Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy said Sunday’s discussions will center on security arrangements and a proposed 20-point framework that he said is nearly complete. He added that the two sides would also consider an economic deal, though it remains uncertain whether any agreements will be finalized during the meeting.
Territorial matters will also be raised, Zelenskyy said. Russia has demanded that Ukraine give up the territory it still controls in the Donbas region, a condition Kyiv has firmly rejected. Moscow currently occupies most of Luhansk and roughly 70% of Donetsk.
Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine wants European countries to be part of future talks, though he questioned whether their involvement could be arranged on short notice. He said a format including Ukraine, the United States, and Europe is essential in the near term.
The planned meeting comes as part of an intensified U.S.-led effort to bring an end to the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine, negotiations that remain stalled due to deeply opposing positions from both sides.
Zelenskyy’s remarks followed comments he made Thursday about having a productive discussion with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russian officials have already been in contact with U.S. representatives after Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev recently met American envoys in Florida. Peskov said both sides agreed to continue talks.
Trump has pushed for a negotiated end to the conflict that began on Feb. 24, 2022, but progress has been limited by incompatible demands from Moscow and Kyiv.
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said Ukraine could consider withdrawing troops from parts of its eastern industrial region as part of a peace plan, provided Russia also pulls back and the area is placed under international monitoring as a demilitarized zone. However, Russia has not signaled any willingness to relinquish occupied territory, despite Moscow claiming gradual progress in negotiations.
Fighting continued on the ground Friday. Ukrainian officials said guided aerial bombs and missile strikes killed several people and wounded others in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Uman. Drone attacks damaged power, energy, and port facilities in Mykolaiv and Odesa, leaving parts of Mykolaiv without electricity.
Ukraine also reported that it struck a major Russian oil refinery in the Rostov region on Thursday using British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Ukraine’s General Staff said the Novoshakhtinsk refinery was hit, causing multiple explosions. Russian officials confirmed a firefighter was injured while battling the resulting blaze.
Kyiv says such long-range strikes are intended to weaken Russia’s oil revenue, which funds its war effort. Russia, meanwhile, continues attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, a strategy Ukrainian officials say is aimed at depriving civilians of basic services during winter.
-20251226062607.webp)
-20251226051932.jpeg)
