Russia Zelenskyi wants to talk to Trump about peace and security
At his meeting with US President Donald Trump this Sunday, Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyi wants to negotiate again about a possible end to the Russian war of aggression.
28.12.2025, 04:10
SDA
However, Moscow's representatives will not be present, which is why the warring parties are not expected to reach an agreement today. Instead, Zelenskyi wants to make it clear to Trump once again that Kiev is not prepared to capitulate or accept a dictated peace with Moscow. The USA sees itself as a mediator in the conflict. Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for almost four years with Western help.
The sticking point of territorial cessions
"Of course there are red lines for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," said Selenskyj in a message on his Telegram channel before the meeting in Florida. The Ukrainian had, for example, always categorically rejected the cessions of those parts of the Donetsk region that Russia does not yet control, which Trump had also demanded. There are compromise proposals for the outstanding territorial issues, said Selenskyj. This point is one of the most critical on the way to an agreement.
The White House announced the bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, for 1 p.m. local time (7 p.m. CET). Trump is currently staying at his luxurious Mar-a-Lago residence. He has repeatedly received high-ranking politicians at the private club in the past. According to a report by the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne, Selensky arrived in the USA on Saturday evening (local time).
20-point peace plan
The Ukrainian head of state wants to talk to Trump about the 20 points for a possible peace plan he presented on Christmas Eve. The core issue would be security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in order to be permanently protected from a new Russian attack. Russia sees the majority of Zelensky's points as contradictory to its positions.
Zelenskyi said that Russia's daily airstrikes show that it has no interest in peace. That is why he wants to lobby Trump for more air defense systems. The Ukrainian air defense needs more missiles, said Selenskyj in view of the daily Russian attacks with drones and missiles.
Zelenskyi: Grateful for EU aid, but Ukraine needs more
Zelensky also said that there were parallel negotiations with the Europeans on security guarantees. He expressed his gratitude that the EU had decided to provide Ukraine with further financial support in the form of loans worth billions. "But honestly, there is always a shortage of money, especially for the production of weapons and, above all, drones," he said.
Before the meeting with Trump, the Ukrainian head of state said that he also wanted to talk to the US president about investments for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the end of the war. Funds would have to be set up for this, and up to 800 billion US dollars (679 billion euros) would have to be raised.
Selenskyj assumes that Trump will once again insist on elections in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president, whose term of office officially expired in 2024 but was extended due to martial law, could be re-legitimized through a vote. According to Selenskyj, the Kremlin is demanding that Ukrainian refugees in Russia - hundreds of thousands of them - should also be able to take part in the vote. The Ukrainian said that Russia's leadership itself was not legitimate. Elections in Russia are criticized as being neither fair nor free.
Allies pledge support for Zelenskyi
Ukraine's allies backed Zelensky in a telephone call before his meeting with Trump. "The eleven heads of state and government from Europe and Canada as well as the heads of NATO and the EU assured Ukraine of their full support and emphasized that they would work in close coordination with the USA for a sustainable and just peace in Ukraine," a spokesperson for the German government in Berlin announced. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also took part in the talks, expressed similar sentiments.
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had invited Zelensky to the telephone call in the format of the most recent Berlin meeting at Zelensky's request. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the Europeans must be fully involved in the discussions concerning them, according to Élysée circles. Macron will host another meeting of the coalition of the willing in Paris in January.
Selensky wrote on Telegram after the phone call that he wanted to continue the talks with the allies on Sunday after the meeting with President Trump. "We need a strong position both on the front and in diplomacy so that (Kremlin chief Vladimir) Putin cannot manipulate and prevent a real and just end to the war."
Putin in uniform claims new conquests in Ukraine
Before Zelensky's new meeting with Trump, Putin appeared in uniform and was demonstratively informed by his general staff about alleged new conquests in Ukraine. Putin said that Russia could also incorporate the Donbass - which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions - militarily. In a video clip published by the Kremlin on Saturday evening, he accused Zelensky of having no interest in a peace agreement. Zelenskyi rejects a withdrawal of his troops from the Donbass.
"And if the power apparatus in Kiev is not prepared to settle the matter peacefully, then we will solve all the tasks ahead of us by force of arms as part of the special military operation," Putin said. Special military operation is the official term in Russia for the war of aggression against Ukraine that began in 2022.
Moscow claims to have taken Myrnohrad and Huljajpole
This time, Russia claimed that the city of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region had been taken. Following the capture of Siversk in the north of the Donetsk region, the path to the large city of Sloviansk is now clear, claimed Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. He said that Russian troops were advancing along the entire front line.
According to Russian military information, the city of Hulyaypole in the Zaporizhzhya region was also conquered. On Saturday evening, the Ukrainian General Staff denied Kremlin reports that the two cities were still being defended.
Not only Ukrainian experts, but also military bloggers loyal to Moscow have recently repeatedly stated that the Russian Ministry of Defense is being informed by the commanders on the ground, who are under pressure to succeed, about alleged successes that do not exist. The information from the front line can hardly be verified independently.
