Zelenskyy to meet Trump in Florida as US-led peace talks with Russia enter critical phase

Zelenskyy said the meeting, expected to take place on Sunday, would focus on a US-brokered peace framework as well as separate proposals aimed at securing long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.

The announcement comes as diplomatic activity intensifies on multiple fronts, with Washington engaging both Kyiv and Moscow in parallel negotiations. 

While no final agreement has emerged, the talks reflect a renewed push to narrow gaps on some of the most contentious issues of the war.

US-brokered plan and security guarantees on the table

Zelenskyy said discussions with Trump would centre on a revised 20-point peace plan proposed by the White House, alongside draft agreements covering US security guarantees and economic arrangements. 

Ukrainian officials have been seeking firm assurances that any settlement would include mechanisms to deter renewed Russian aggression.

On Friday, Zelenskyy said he had been briefed on the latest technical negotiations by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s chief negotiator. 

Writing on social media, he stressed the urgency of the process, saying Kyiv was “not losing a single day” and that a high-level meeting with Trump could resolve key outstanding issues before the end of the year.

'Demilitarised Zone' proposal in Eastern Ukraine

One of the central elements under discussion is a proposal to establish a demilitarised zone in eastern Ukraine, particularly in parts of the Donbas region. 

The plan would require both sides to withdraw troops from the front line, effectively creating a buffer zone without immediately resolving the disputed question of sovereignty.

Zelenskyy has indicated that Ukraine could pull back forces by up to 40 kilometres from certain eastern positions, provided Russian troops do the same from occupied areas of the Donbas. 

He has also floated the idea of a demilitarised “free economic zone” in territories Russia failed to seize outright, framing it as a temporary mechanism to stabilise the region.

Russia signals cautious engagement

Moscow has responded cautiously to the latest developments. 

The Kremlin said senior aides to President Vladimir Putin have continued discussions with US officials, including phone calls with the White House, following recent in-person talks in Miami.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the negotiations as showing “slow but steady progress” and confirmed that further meetings between Russian and American delegations were planned. 

However, Russia has not publicly commented on Zelenskyy’s offer of reciprocal troop withdrawals from Donbas.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused unnamed Western European countries of attempting to disrupt diplomatic progress, suggesting that external pressure could complicate negotiations.

Past tensions and a changed tone

The planned Florida meeting follows a complicated history between Zelenskyy and Trump.

Their first White House encounter after Trump’s return to office, in February, reportedly ended in a tense exchange. 

However, a subsequent meeting in October was described by officials as far more constructive, raising expectations that the relationship has stabilised.

Zelenskyy also revealed that he held a lengthy phone conversation on Christmas Day with Trump’s chief negotiators, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. 

He described the call as productive, saying it generated “new ideas” for ending the war.

Territory and nuclear power remain sticking points

Despite progress on several fronts, Zelenskyy has repeatedly acknowledged that territorial questions remain the most difficult issue to resolve. 

The future status of Russian-occupied regions, particularly in the east and south, continues to divide negotiators.

Another unresolved issue is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which remains under Russian control. 

The White House has proposed that Ukraine and Russia share the electricity generated by the facility, an idea that has drawn cautious interest but no firm commitments.

Revised peace plan and military guarantees

Kyiv has secured changes to earlier drafts of the US proposal, which critics had described as overly favourable to Moscow. 

The updated framework reportedly commits the United States and European partners to a security guarantees modelled on NATO’s Article 5, obligating collective military support if Ukraine is attacked again.

The plan would also allow Ukraine to maintain a military force of around 800,000 personnel, countering Russian demands for deep reductions in troop strength.

Fighting continues despite diplomacy

Even as talks advance, fighting on the ground has not abated. 

Ukrainian officials reported at least four civilian deaths from Russian strikes since December 25, while the air force said it intercepted 73 drones overnight.

Russia, meanwhile, claimed it had shot down incoming projectiles, including British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. 

Ukrainian forces said they had targeted oil and gas facilities in Russia’s Rostov and Krasnodar regions, underscoring how diplomacy and warfare continue in parallel.

A critical weekend for the war’s future

Zelenskyy’s planned meeting with Trump represents one of the most consequential diplomatic moments of the conflict in recent months. 

With revised proposals on the table, active engagement from Washington, and cautious signals from Moscow, the Florida talks could shape the direction of negotiations heading into the new year—even as the battlefield remains active and unresolved.