Russia White House: Trump receives Selenskyj on Sunday
US President Donald Trump will receive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Sunday. The White House announced the bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, for 3 p.m. local time (9 p.m. CET).
27.12.2025, 05:02
27.12.2025, 06:46
SDA
The new top-level meeting will also discuss a possible end to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, which has been going on for almost four years. Russia was not mentioned in the announcement, so talks with Moscow did not initially appear to be planned.
Meanwhile, the Russian military once again attacked Ukraine with missile strikes during the night. The capital Kiev was also affected, as Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced. The military governor of the Kiev region, Mykola Kalashnyk, reported one casualty in the region and damage to civilian infrastructure on Telegram in the morning.
Selenskyj had already announced the meeting with Trump. "A lot can still be decided by New Year," he wrote on the Telegram and X networks. However, he did not initially give an exact date. Trump is currently staying at his Mar-a-Lago residence. He has repeatedly received high-ranking politicians at the private club in the past.
"Axios": Meeting means rapprochement
According to the US news portal "Axios", a meeting between the heads of state is likely to mean that there is now a significant rapprochement between the USA and Ukraine. Trump had previously said that he only wanted to meet with Zelensky if a deal was within reach.
Zelenskyi wrote that his chief negotiator Rustem Umyerev had informed him of the recent contacts with the Americans. "We are not losing a single day. We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level with President Trump in the near future." The 20-point peace plan is 90 percent complete, Zelenskyi was quoted as saying in a chat with journalists. "Our task now is to finalize everything 100 percent."
In an interview with Axios, Zelensky hinted at a willingness to hold a referendum on the peace plan, but only on the condition that Russia was prepared to hold a ceasefire for at least 60 days. According to "Axios", US officials were in favor of a shorter period. Selensky, however, has doubts as to whether Russia will agree to Trump's plan. "I have some information, but I am at a point where I only want to believe the words of leaders."
Selenskyj coordinates with Merz
Before the planned meeting with the US President, Selenskyj discussed the next steps with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "We are coordinating our positions and everyone in Europe must pull together to defend our European way of life, the independence of our states and peace in Europe. There must be peace," Selenskyj wrote on Platform X.
CDU leader Merz responded to X with the words: "We stand unwaveringly by your side. Strong, coordinated European action is still indispensable for peace, freedom and security." The "Berlin Group" is ready to help - in close coordination with its US partners.
Selensky went on to write that he had informed the German Chancellor about Kiev's work with the US envoys. "We all remember the format of the Berlin meeting and the results achieved there. This is exactly how we will continue to work. We have agreed to continue to act together with the Europeans," Selensky wrote with regard to the most recent summit in Berlin.
The summit in mid-December was the first major Ukraine meeting involving the USA, Ukraine and the leading Europeans in an EU member state since Trump's new push for a peace solution in November.
Intensive diplomatic efforts
Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war of aggression have accelerated in recent weeks. Trump hopes to push through an end to the war. His negotiating team consisting of special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke intensively with the Ukrainian negotiators. Selensky also spoke on the phone with Witkoff and Kushner on Thursday.
Moscow was involved in each case through Russian-American contacts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev had informed Kremlin head Vladimir Putin about his talks with the US side last weekend in Florida. According to the state news agency Tass, Peskov said that Putin had ordered a further telephone call, which was then conducted by his foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov.
After the peace plan had been kept secret for a long time, Zelensky went public on Christmas Eve with a 20-point plan. Among other things, it provides for security guarantees from the USA and European countries for Ukraine, which are similar to the mutual assistance clause in Article 5 of the NATO treaty.
Russian reactions to the negotiations in various places were cautious. Despite its declared willingness to talk, Russia has so far stuck to its maximum demands. One of the main points of contention is that Moscow claims the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbass, which have not been fully conquered.
