(Dec 26): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he plans to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump “in the coming days,” signalling optimism about reaching a peace deal to end Russia’s almost four-year war.
Separately, the Kremlin said its representatives had made contact with the US at President Vladimir Putin’s direction.
“A lot could be decided before the New Year,” Zelenskiy said on Friday in a Telegram and X post after receiving an update from Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s top negotiator with the US and head of the National Defense and Security Council.
Ukrainian media reported earlier that Zelenskiy is expected to travel to Florida, where Trump is spending the Christmas break, to meet with Trump as soon as Sunday.
Kyiv and Washington are seeking to align on a 20-point peace plan to present to Russian President Vladimir Putin, including the provision of strong security guarantees modelled on Nato’s Article 5, and a global post-war development programme for Ukraine.
While the allies have agreed on most items, several issues remain unresolved, including Ukraine’s opposition to territorial concessions in the eastern region of Donetsk.
See also: Ukraine and US seek land compromise for peace deal with Putin
Zelenskiy on Thursday said he had “a very good conversation” lasting nearly an hour on the peace plan with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
“Of course, there is still work to be done on sensitive issues,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly address on Thursday. “But together with the American team, we understand how to put all of this in place. The weeks ahead may also be intensive. Thank you, America!”
The Kremlin has reviewed information delivered to Putin by his envoy Kirill Dmitriev following recent talks with the US in Miami, Interfax reported on Friday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
See also: Ukraine hits shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean for first time
Contacts have since taken place between representatives of the Russian and US administrations, with presidential aide Yury Ushakov representing Russia, Peskov said. The sides agreed to continue the dialogue, he added, without offering more detail.
Also on Friday, an official with French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing nations, focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, is likely to take place in Paris in the new year. Zelenskiy may attend the talks, the official said.
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