By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced plan to meet his US counterpart, Donald Trump in Florida this Sunday, as part of efforts to reach a peace deal to end Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Zelensky cautioned that he could not say whether the meeting would lead to a firm agreement, but said the two sides would aim to “finalize as much as we can.”
Earlier on Friday, the Ukrainian leader had struck an optimistic note, writing on X that “a lot can be decided before the New Year.”
Zelensky told reporters that the 20-point peace plan hammered out by Ukrainian and US officials is “90% ready” and that he planned to discuss with Trump how Ukraine’s allies could guarantee its security in the future.
There was no immediate confirmation of the upcoming meeting from the White House.
Zelensky’s announcement comes after he offered to compromise on some of the thorniest issues that have so far stalled the US-mediated peace process with Russia. It is not clear, however, whether Zelensky’s concessions will satisfy the Kremlin.
The initial, 28-point peace plan, which emerged in November following talks between the United States and Russia, was criticized by Ukraine’s allies as heavily favouring Moscow.
Following weeks of talks between Ukrainian and US officials, that draft has been slimmed down to the current 20-point plan, which Zelensky has said can serve as a “foundational document on ending the war.”
Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine had not received an official response from the Kremlin to the latest proposal. He said Kyiv is negotiating exclusively with Washington, which in turn is communicating with Moscow.
“In my opinion, I see now that the agreement between us and the United States is almost ready,” Zelensky said. He stressed, however, that any peace deal will also need to be approved by Russia and Ukraine’s European allies.
If Russia does not agree to the peace plan drafted by Ukraine and the United States, Zelensky suggested that more should be done to force Moscow’s hand. “If Ukraine shows its position, it is constructive – and Russia, for example, does not agree, then the (existing) pressure is not enough,” Zelensky said, adding that he wants to discuss this with Trump.
