Trump and Zelenskyy Set to Meet: Key Highlights of Ukraine's Peace Proposal on the Agenda

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with United States President Donald Trump in Florida on Monday AEDT to discuss plans to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy is expected to present a 20-point plan to his US counterpart and has expressed hope that “a lot can be decided before the New Year”.

But Trump told US news outlet Politico that Zelenskyy “doesn’t have anything until I approve it”.

“Let’s see what he brings to the table.”

In preparation for upcoming discussions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Together, they participated in a conference call alongside European leaders and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, on Saturday.

Following these interactions, Zelenskyy announced on social media that this group of leaders plans to reconvene after his talks with Donald Trump.

Ukraine has advocated for the exclusive operation of the power plant by Ukraine and the United States.

On Wednesday, Zelenskyy offered details of the draft 20-point peace proposal, which covers ceasefires, security guarantees for Ukraine, economic prosperity, education and Ukraine’s association with Europe.

One of the key sticking points from the proposal is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been controlled by Russia since March 2022.

Russia has announced plans to connect the nuclear facility to its power grid, while its forces continue pummelling Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing blackouts during winter.

The US has proposed the plant be jointly operated by Ukraine, Russia and the US, with each holding equal stakes in a joint enterprise — although it would ultimately be under US leadership.

He emphasized, “Security guarantees must coincide with the conclusion of the conflict, as we need assurance that Russia will not resume hostilities.”

Another unresolved issue in the 20-point proposal is territorial claims in the Donbas region, where Russia wants Ukraine to cede control.

Ukraine has insisted fighting be halted at the current battle lines, while the US suggested turning the Ukraine-controlled parts of Donbas into demilitarised zones and a free economic zone.

The proposed 20-point plan also stated that Ukraine would become a European Union member at a “specifically defined date”, receive security guarantees and maintain the size of its armed forces.

In Canada, Zelenskyy told reporters that security guarantees would be a key focus of the talks in Florida.

“Security guarantees must be simultaneous with the end of the war, because we must be confident that Russia will not start aggression again,” he said.

How has Russia responded to the plan?

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier stated a peace deal should be based on the principles of the conditions he set out in 2024, including Ukraine withdrawing from all of Donbas, ceding control of Zaporizhzhia, and renouncing its aim to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

However, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that, in a talk with some of Russia’s top businessmen on Wednesday, Putin signalled that he was open to territorial swaps with Ukraine, although insisting that he wanted all of Donbas.

Russia also launched hundreds of missiles and drone attacks on Kyiv and other areas of Ukraine on Saturday local time, which Zelenskyy characterised as a response to his upcoming meeting with Trump.

Zelenskyy said he couldn’t confirm if the meeting on Sunday would lead to a signed agreement.

He said he would also advocate for additional pressure to be placed on Russia.

— With additional reporting from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.