Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he plans to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump “in the coming days,” signaling optimism about reaching a peace deal to end Russia’s almost four-year war.
“A lot could be decided before the New Year,” Zelenskiy said 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.
The Kyiv Post reported earlier that Zelenskiy is expected to travel to Florida, where Trump is spending the Christmas break, as soon as Sunday. It cited a person familiar with the matter who wasn’t identified.
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 modeled on NATO’s Article 5, and a global post-war development program 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.
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 is reviewing information delivered to Putin by his envoy Kirill Dmitriev after talks with the US last weekend in Miami, and will decide on further contacts with the US based on the president’s decision, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Thursday.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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