US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy are set for a pivotal meeting on Sunday, aiming to forge a path to end the war in Ukraine. The high-stakes talks at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida come as Russia unleashes a massive new wave of airstrikes across Ukraine, killing civilians and crippling infrastructure.
Peace Plan on the Table Amid Relentless Attacks
The leaders will discuss the latest version of a 20-point peace plan, a framework that is reportedly 90% complete. Central to the negotiations is the unresolved status of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded Ukraine cede territory in northern Donetsk that his forces have failed to capture militarily.
Zelenskyy's counter-proposal involves creating a demilitarised zone, with both Russian and Ukrainian troops pulling back from the current line of contact. This proposal could be put to a national referendum, but only if Moscow first agrees to a ceasefire lasting between 60 and 90 days.
However, the diplomatic push faces profound obstacles. A key unresolved issue is the nature of long-term security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian aggression. President Trump has pointedly refrained from making any military commitment to defend Ukraine. An earlier US draft plan from November, formulated after talks with Russia, was widely seen as demanding Ukraine's effective capitulation.
Russia's Military Message and Ukraine's Resilience
The context for the Florida summit is one of extreme violence. On Friday night and Saturday, Russian forces hit Kyiv with over 500 drones and ballistic missiles in a 12-hour onslaught. The attack killed two people and left half a million residents without power. Zelenskyy, who met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Halifax on Saturday, described the bombardment as "Russia's answer to our peace efforts."
In what appeared to be a timed message ahead of the talks, Russia's defence ministry announced on Sunday that its forces had seized five settlements in eastern and southern Ukraine, including Myrnohrad and Huliaipole. Despite these claims, Ukrainian officials dismissed the advances, stating their defences were holding. In a significant counter-strike, Ukraine's military said it hit the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region with drones overnight.
A High-Risk Diplomatic Gambit
Sunday's meeting represents a moment of considerable risk for President Zelenskyy. Relations with the Trump administration have been turbulent; in February, Trump and Vice-President JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader during a tense White House meeting. Although subsequent encounters improved, the US president's scepticism remains. In a recent interview, Trump stated of Zelenskyy, "He doesn't have anything until I approve it."
The Ukrainian delegation, including security chief Rustem Umerov and deputy foreign minister Sergiy Kyslytsya, has worked diligently to mend ties with the White House. Zelenskyy has coordinated closely with European allies and expects them to join the Mar-a-Lago discussions via video link. From the US side, Trump will be joined by his envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Observers hold little hope for a breakthrough deal. Yuriy Boyechko of Hope for Ukraine charity highlighted the fundamental flaw: "The fundamental flaw in the current diplomatic push is the absence of the aggressor at the negotiating table... As long as Russia is actively launching its heaviest attacks in months, it is signalling that it has no intention of honouring a deal it did not sign." With Trump showing no willingness to pressure Moscow, the nearly four-year-old full-scale war looks set to grind on.
