Zelenskyy to meet Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday as Ukraine peace plan nears completion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that a long-awaited meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled for Sunday, at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, with sources indicating that key agreements on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine could be finalized before the end of 2025.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Zelenskyy revealed that bilateral teams have made substantial progress on several draft documents, including a foundational 20-point peace framework that he described as “90% ready.” The plan, which evolved from earlier negotiations, addresses sensitive issues such as territorial control, the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, postwar reconstruction, and robust security guarantees for Ukraine.

Ukraine unveils the 20-point peace proposal under discussion with the U.S.

“The 20-point plan we worked on is 90% ready. Our task is to make sure that everything is 100% ready,” Zelenskyy said. “It is not easy, but we must bring the desired result closer with each such meeting, each such conversation.” He emphasized that remaining hurdles, particularly those requiring leader-level decisions, would be tackled directly with Trump, including security assurances and Ukraine’s restoration.

The announcement follows intensive diplomatic activity. On 25 December Zelenskyy held a phone conversation with Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Earlier reports from a Ukrainian delegation in Washington, led by National Security and Defence Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, confirmed the high-level meeting had been secured.

“We are not wasting a single day. We have agreed to meet with President Trump in the near future,” Zelenskyy posted on X. “A lot can be decided before the New Year.”

Axios reporter Barak Ravid first reported the Sunday meeting at Mar-a-Lago, citing a Ukrainian official, adding urgency to Washington’s push for a diplomatic breakthrough in the nearly four-year conflict. Trump has repeatedly vowed to end the war quickly, though Kyiv insists any deal must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and include ironclad security commitments, potentially involving U.S. and European guarantees.

The Ukrainian side views the visit as a critical opportunity to lock in commitments before year’s end, amid ongoing U.S.-led efforts to bridge gaps with Russia. Sensitive territorial questions remain unresolved in the current draft, Zelenskyy has noted previously, underscoring the need for direct presidential talks.

As the meeting approaches, optimism in Kyiv is tempered by the complexity of negotiations. Zelenskyy stressed the importance of finalizing the framework document, which could form the basis for broader involvement of Europe, NATO, and potentially Russia in a monitored peace process.

According to Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, President Vladimir Putin privately informed several leading Russian businessmen that he could consider trading certain territories currently held by Russian forces in Ukraine, provided that Russia secures full control over the entire Donbas region.

However, Ukraine has no plans to cede the portions of Donbas it still controls, which are heavily fortified and considered a critical defensive stronghold.

No matter how much progress Kyiv and Washington achieve bilaterally, Russia shows no signs of backing down from its maximalist initial positions, which effectively amount to transforming Ukraine into a vassal state.

Caption: File photo: A US Secret Service observation tower is being placed in the US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, 14 May 2025. According to the National Deputy Communications Director at Democratic National Committee, the Democrats will fly a sky banner over Mar-a Lago in protest against Trump’s travel to Qatar. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH