‘Agreed on…:’ Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to meet Trump in Florida amid diplomatic push to end Russia-Ukraine war

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with US President Doland Trump on Sunday in order to make progress toward resolving the four-year-long military conflict between Ukraine and Russia. At Sunday’s meeting, President Zelenskyy will address the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. In his video statement prior to Sunday’s meeting in Florida, President Zelenskyy indicated a willingness to hold a referendum if Russia agrees to an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Volodymyr Zelensky stated he would reach an agreement with Trump regarding the framework to achieve peace during his meeting with US President Doland Trump on Sunday. He also indicated that Ukraine would have no problem presenting any agreed framework for peace to its citizens via referendum should Russia agree to a ceasefire. As a prerequisite for holding a referendum, Zelensky specified that Russia would need to agree to a ceasefire lasting a minimum of 60 days. He also indicated that discussions with Trump would also include the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Zelenskyy stated that any decision for territorial agreements will be determined by the Ukrainian people via a potential referendum, indicating Ukraine’s desire to negotiate for a more favourable position concerning the status of the territories. According to him, if the final agreement necessitates making extremely contentious decisions regarding the respective territories, the ultimate solution would be to submit the entire 20-point plan to a referendum.

Zelenskyy has stated that the reasoning for demanding a two-month cease-fire before holding a referendum. Explaining the rationale behind his demand for a 60-day ceasefire before holding a referendum, Zelenskyy said, “If people don’t turn out to vote due to security concerns, the result could seem illegitimate. It is better to not have a referendum than have a referendum where people do not have the possibility to come and vote.”

Zelenskyy also added that the 20-point peace plan proposed by US and Ukrainian officials is 90 per cent ready. He added that talks with Trump would centre on long-term security guarantees for Ukraine and the role of its allies in ensuring stability after the war.CNN reported that there was no immediate confirmation from the White House about the proposed meeting. Zelenskyy’s comments come amid renewed diplomatic activity, with Kyiv signalling openness to discussions on issues that have stalled previous negotiations.Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy said in a post on X that Ukraine and the US had agreed to hold a high-level meeting soon, adding that significant decisions could be taken before the New Year.Zelenskyy wrote on X after the latest round of discussions between Ukrainian and US negotiators, “We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level – with President Trump in the near future. A lot can be decided before the New Year.”

While the plan envisages Ukraine receiving security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression, there has been no agreement between Ukraine and the US on territorial issues, as Moscow continues to demand that Kyiv cede territory.In addition to territorial questions, the issue of control over the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remains unresolved and subject to further discussions.