In a significant diplomatic move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed he will hold talks with former US President Donald Trump in Florida this weekend. The meeting aims to advance discussions on critical security guarantees for Ukraine, with Zelenskyy revealing that a detailed 20-point plan is nearly complete.
Agenda for the Florida Summit
President Zelenskyy informed journalists on Friday that the primary focus of the Sunday meeting will be the security guarantees for his nation. He stated that the proposed plan is "about 90% ready." Beyond security, the leaders will also deliberate on an "economic agreement," though Zelenskyy cautioned that it was unclear if any final deal would be reached by the weekend's end.
A contentious point on the agenda will be "territorial issues." This refers directly to the Donbas region, where Moscow demands Ukraine relinquish control of the remaining territory it holds. Ukraine has rejected this ultimatum. To date, Russian forces have captured most of Luhansk and approximately 70% of Donetsk, the two areas constituting the Donbas.
Zelenskyy expressed a strong desire for European involvement in the security framework. "We must, without doubt, find some format in the near future in which not only Ukraine and the U.S. are present, but Europe is represented as well," he said, while doubting if European participation could be arranged at such short notice.
Diplomatic Context and Military Reality
This high-profile meeting is part of an extensive US-led diplomatic initiative to end the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. However, efforts have been stymied by the sharply opposing demands of Kyiv and Moscow. Zelenskyy's announcement follows his "good conversation" on Thursday with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
On the Russian side, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on Friday that contacts with US representatives were already ongoing, following a recent meeting in Florida between Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and US officials. "It was agreed upon to continue the dialogue," Peskov stated.
Despite Zelenskyy's Tuesday offer to withdraw troops from the eastern industrial heartland if Russia reciprocates and the area becomes a demilitarised zone, Moscow has shown no signs of agreeing. While Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova acknowledged "slow but steady progress" in talks, a Russian withdrawal from seized land seems unlikely.
Ongoing Violence and Cross-Border Strikes
Even as diplomacy proceeds, violence continues to ravage Ukraine. On Friday, a guided aerial bomb struck a busy road in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, killing two people and wounding six, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported. Separate attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region and the city of Uman resulted in more casualties.
Russian drone attacks overnight into Friday left part of Mykolaiv without power and damaged energy and port infrastructure in the Black Sea city of Odesa. Ukraine continues its strategy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure, striking the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia's Rostov region on Thursday using UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. The attack, confirmed by Ukraine's General Staff, wounded a firefighter. These strikes aim to cripple the oil export revenue funding Russia's war effort, while Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid seek to weaponise the winter against civilians.
