(TNND) — President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine face renewed strain following intensified Russian attacks.
The leaders will hold talks at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump is spending the holidays.
Zelenskyy, who arrived in Florida earlier in the day, said discussions will focus on security guarantees, economic cooperation and unresolved territorial disputes, particularly in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
The meeting comes after a wave of Russian strikes. Overnight, guided aerial bombs hit residential areas in the eastern city of Sloviansk, killing one person and injuring three, according to local officials. The attack followed a major strike on Kyiv on Saturday that killed at least one person and wounded 27, Ukrainian authorities said.
Ahead of the talks, Zelenskyy spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss battlefield conditions and the impact of recent Russian attacks. He also met Saturday with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced additional economic assistance for Ukraine’s reconstruction and condemned Russia’s latest strikes.
“Ukraine is ready to do whatever it takes to stop this war,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, emphasizing the need for strong international support at the negotiating table.
Trump and Zelenskyy’s meeting follows recent progress in U.S.-led negotiations.
Zelenskyy said a 20-point draft peace framework is about 90% complete. Under the proposal, the U.S. would offer Ukraine security guarantees similar to those provided to NATO members, and Zelenskyy has signaled he could drop Ukraine’s NATO bid in exchange for such protections.
Trump has made ending the war a priority during his return to office, though he has acknowledged the challenges of brokering a deal. He has suggested halting fighting along current battle lines, an idea that would allow Russia to retain territory it has seized.
Russia has said it wants international recognition of occupied territory, including Crimea, and insists Ukraine abandon its NATO ambitions — demands Kyiv has rejected. Kremlin officials say talks with Washington are ongoing but warn that reaching a compromise could take time.
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