Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to meet with his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, in the near future, indicating potential progress toward a peace agreement aimed at concluding the ongoing conflict with Russia. In a message posted on Telegram and X, Zelensky expressed hope that “a lot could be decided before the New Year,” following discussions with Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s chief negotiator and head of the National Defence and Security Council.
Reports suggest that Zelensky may travel to Florida, where Trump is spending the Christmas holidays, as early as December 10, 2023. The Kyiv Post referenced an unnamed source familiar with the plans. This anticipated meeting is part of ongoing efforts by Kyiv and Washington to finalize a comprehensive 20-point peace plan intended for presentation to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The proposed peace plan includes significant security guarantees modeled after NATO’s Article 5, which commits member states to mutual defense, alongside a global development program for Ukraine post-conflict. While both sides have reached consensus on many elements of the plan, contentious issues remain, particularly Ukraine’s firm stance against any territorial concessions in the eastern region of Donetsk.
During a recent address, Zelensky remarked on a “very good conversation” he had with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which lasted nearly an hour. “Of course, there is still work to be done on sensitive issues,” he stated, underscoring the collaborative spirit between the Ukrainian and American teams. He added, “The weeks ahead may also be intensive. Thank you, America!”
The Kremlin is currently evaluating information conveyed to President Putin by his envoy Kirill Dmitriev after discussions with US representatives last weekend in Miami. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that future engagements with the US will depend on Putin’s decisions following this review.
As the situation develops, the international community remains watchful of the diplomatic exchanges between Ukraine and the United States, with the hope that these negotiations may lead to a resolution of the conflict that has persisted for nearly four years.
