Mr. Zelensky is about to meet Mr. Trump to discuss the peace plan

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s advisor said today that Mr. Zelensky will meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on December 28 to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting took place after the US and Ukraine reached an agreement on a draft 20-point peace plan after the latest round of negotiations.

“We will discuss this document as well as ensuring security. We will also discuss sensitive issues such as the Donbass region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Other issues will certainly also be discussed,” Mr. Zelensky said.

The draft peace plan announced by President Zelensky on December 24 covers many issues, from post-conflict territorial arrangements to security commitments that Kiev wants to receive, as well as plans to rebuild Ukraine.

According to Mr. Zelensky, there are still disagreements between Kiev and Washington on territorial issues and the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. However, Ukraine has won some concessions in the new draft, such as stopping fighting on the front lines and not being asked to give up its ambition to join NATO.

Ukrainian leaders also said that the draft does not force Ukraine to immediately withdraw its troops or establish a demilitarized zone, provisions that Kiev previously opposed or avoided, but were first included in negotiations for future consideration.

On December 26, the Kremlin said that Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy assistant to Russian President Vladimir Putin, had a phone call with US officials to discuss negotiations, but did not give details. Russia has also not announced its stance on the latest draft.

Up to now, Russia has almost no intention of giving up its tough territorial claims, such as Ukraine having to completely withdraw from the Donbass region, including the two provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, and Ukraine not being able to join NATO. Russia also wants a ban on Western countries deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Mr. Zelensky said Ukrainian negotiators did not communicate directly with Russia, but the US acted as an intermediary and was waiting for Moscow’s response to the latest proposal.

“I think we will know their official response in the coming days,” he said.