Russia-Ukraine war: Hopes tied to Washington as Trump and Zelensky meeting may prove important
The Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for a long time, and many key issues have appeared repeatedly. Ukraine has continued to look toward the United States, asking for more weapons, mainly because it is facing a strong nuclear power like Russia, not a small country.
During the war, relations between Ukraine and the U.S have seen ups and downs. Ukraine’s trust in NATO has also weakened, as Ukraine has struggled to face Russia alone and has suffered repeated losses. Peace talks were held several times, but most of them failed. One possible reason was that the United States did not provide Ukraine with full and decisive support.
Once again, Ukraine is turning to the United States with renewed hopes. The focus is now on whether the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky will bring any benefit to Ukraine.
In this situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is arriving in Florida on Sunday for an important meeting with US President Donald Trump. The meeting is taking place while Russian missiles and drones continue to strike Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, causing civilian deaths and damage. For several weeks, quiet diplomatic efforts have been underway to find a way to end the long and deadly war.
The meeting between the two presidents is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Trump’s private residence, Mar-a-Lago. The announcement was made only two days earlier, showing how quickly talks behind the scenes have progressed.
The main purpose of the meeting is to address remaining differences in the peace plan proposed by President Trump last month. The plan originally included 28 points, but Ukraine later reduced it to 20 points. US diplomats have been working continuously to prepare a proposal that could be acceptable to both Kyiv and Moscow.
President Trump has cut short his holidays for the meeting. He has been staying in Palm Beach since December 20, but set aside his break due to the importance of the talks. People close to him describe the meeting as a significant development.
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The meeting was arranged after Zelensky held a nearly one-hour phone call last week with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Kushner is playing a central role in the peace process and has Trump’s confidence.
Earlier, Trump had said there was no point in meeting Zelensky or European leaders unless a deal was close. That statement suggested talks had reached an advanced stage. His decision to meet now indicates negotiations may be nearing a critical phase.
According to US officials, progress has been made in recent weeks. A senior American official said that about 90 percent of the peace deal had been agreed. President Zelensky also confirmed this but did not share details of the remaining issues.
At the same time, the situation on the ground remains tense. Just before Zelensky’s departure for the US, Kyiv was hit by new Russian missile and drone attacks, killing civilians and damaging infrastructure. Russia appears unwilling to reduce military pressure despite ongoing talks.
This places Zelensky in a difficult position. He is negotiating peace while his capital remains under attack. Russia’s approach suggests it wants talks to continue under military pressure.
Sources say the revised 20-point plan includes security guarantees for Ukraine, the status of occupied territories, and funding for post-war reconstruction. Details have been kept confidential to avoid affecting negotiations.
European countries are watching developments closely. They have been involved in parallel talks and fear being excluded from any final agreement. Several European leaders have recently spoken directly with President Trump.
Russia has its own demands. Moscow wants Ukraine to accept territorial losses and abandon its goal of joining NATO. Russian officials say they are open to talks but will not compromise on what they consider core interests.
Zelensky is also under domestic pressure. Many Ukrainians oppose any agreement that involves giving up land. Public opinion surveys show strong resistance to territorial concessions, even if the war continues.
For President Trump, ending the war is a major political goal. During his campaign, he claimed he could resolve the conflict quickly, and a peace deal would be a key foreign policy achievement. His team has moved faster on this issue than the previous administration.
“Some critics believe the fast pace of these talks could work against Ukraine. They fear Trump might push Zelensky to agree to terms that are not in Ukraine’s favor in order to claim a political win. Ukrainian officials are therefore trying to stay open to talks while making sure the country’s sovereignty is not compromised.”
No final agreement is expected from Sunday’s meeting. However, it is likely to clarify which issues remain unresolved and what steps may be needed. Both sides are expected to describe the talks as constructive.
The next stage depends on resolving the remaining 10 percent of issues.“These issues are especially sensitive and include questions about Crimea, security guarantees, and how any agreement would actually be enforced.”
“Russian President Vladimir Putin has mostly stayed quiet, leaving the negotiations to his envoys. This has led to questions about whether Moscow is truly ready to make compromises or is simply trying to buy time.”
For now, Zelensky has little choice but to attend the meeting. With changing global conditions and uncertainty over future US support, direct talks with President Trump have become necessary.
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