'Talks with Trump show progress': Zelenskyy on Ukraine-US negotiations
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (GettyImages)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump will take place in a public format and will confirm progress in negotiations between Ukraine and the United States.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists.
Zelenskyy explained that the foundation for this format was laid during several working group meetings. From Ukraine, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov participated, while from the US side, Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner attended. The talks took place in Miami.
He added that the parties agreed that if progress is achieved, a meeting at the leaders’ level would follow.
"The fact that there will be a meeting with Trump tomorrow shows that progress exists," Zelenskyy emphasized.
He also highlighted the importance of team-level contacts, particularly since US representatives have conducted negotiations with Russia, including in Moscow. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian side was keen for American representatives to gain a deeper understanding of Ukraine’s position.
"I think our meetings helped them understand many details, including security guarantees — legally backing those guarantees, the risks of agreements with Russia since they may no longer hold, as well as operational details of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and other territorially sensitive issues," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy and Trump meeting
On Sunday, December 28, Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
According to media reports, Zelenskyy plans to use the meeting to address key disagreements regarding the draft peace agreement. He has stressed that he will raise territorial issues, including discussions on Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. European partners will also join the talks online.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that European officials unofficially expect a positive outcome from the discussions, though they are also preparing for possible unexpected scenarios.
It has also been reported that Zelenskyy has already departed for the US. On his way to meet Trump, he will meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and hold an online discussion with European leaders.
For more on the agenda of the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting and expectations from the talks, see RBC-Ukraine.
