Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Florida a day after Kyiv and the region came under fire from Russian missiles and drones, a reminder from the aggressor that his attacks will continue, even as peace talks accelerate. US envoys are working hard to finalize a proposal that both Ukraine and Russia can agree to, CNN reports.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
The meeting with Trump was arranged after Zelensky had an hour-long phone call late last week with Steve Witkoff, Trump's foreign policy envoy, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law who is working to finalize a peace deal. Earlier this month, the US president said he did not see any benefit in meetings with Zelensky or his European allies unless they were close to a deal, suggesting the talks were at an advanced stage. US officials have said there has been significant progress in the peace effort, with one US official saying earlier this month that 90% of the terms of the deal had been worked out. Zelensky confirmed that figure on Friday.
“It's not easy. No one says it will be 100% right away, but we must get closer to the desired result with every such meeting, every such conversation,” he said.
The remaining 10% proved difficult to resolve, and they include the complex issue of land concessions that would be necessary to end the war. Russia has not abandoned its maximalist demands, in particular that Ukraine surrender all of Donbas.
ADVERTISING
But Zelensky is no longer ruling out concessions altogether, saying he would put the peace plan to a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire. The US has offered “thought-provoking” ideas for breaking the deadlock, one US official said, including the creation of a “free economic zone” in eastern Ukraine.
The fate of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, also remains unresolved. Speaking the day before the meeting, President Putin declared that “if Kyiv does not want to resolve the issue peacefully, Russia will achieve all the goals of the special military operation by military means,” using a euphemism to refer to the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky said before the meeting that he wanted to reach a framework agreement to end the war, including clear details of security guarantees from the United States to prevent Russia from continuing its invasion after the war ends. Earlier this month, two days of talks in Berlin between officials from Europe, Ukraine and the United States agreed on a set of security guarantees similar to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. They would deter further Russian aggression, create mechanisms for conflict resolution and monitor the conclusion of a peace agreement. They would also spell out the consequences for Russia if it violates the agreement.
ADVERTISING
“This is the most robust set of security protocols they’ve ever seen. It’s a very, very strong package,” a senior U.S. official said, without elaborating on what the U.S. is promising. Trump is ready to present U.S.-backed security guarantees to Congress, a second official said, calling the package the “platinum standard” of what Washington can offer Ukraine.
Trump believes he can force Moscow to accept the guarantees, and officials have also said that Russia has expressed a willingness to allow Ukraine to join the European Union as part of any peace deal.
In an interview with Politico on Friday, Trump said he expected the meeting with Zelensky to “go well,” but warned that the Ukrainian president “has nothing until I approve it.”
Previously, “FACTS” wrote about a breakthrough in the negotiations: Zelensky and Putin may talk for the first time in five years.
ADVERTISING