Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump are set to meet in Florida on Sunday to finalise a potential roadmap to end the war in Ukraine, even as Russian missile and drone attacks escalated across the country, highlighting deep divisions over key issues.
Russia launched hundreds of missiles and drones overnight on Saturday, striking Kyiv and other regions, knocking out electricity and heating supplies in parts of the capital. Zelensky described the attacks as Moscow’s response to ongoing US-led peace efforts.
Zelensky said he intends to discuss the future of eastern Ukraine’s contested Donbas region, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and broader security arrangements during talks at Trump’s Florida residence. Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya confirmed that the Ukrainian delegation arrived late Saturday.
The meeting, scheduled for 1pm local time (11pm PKT), comes after weeks of diplomacy aimed at shaping a ceasefire and post-war settlement. Zelensky has said a US-backed 20-point peace plan is around 90 per cent complete, though major disagreements remain over territory.
Russia continues to demand that Ukraine relinquish all of the Donbas region, including areas still under Kyiv’s control, while Ukraine wants any settlement to freeze the conflict along current battle lines. The United States has floated compromise ideas, including the creation of a free economic zone in areas vacated by Ukrainian forces, though details remain unclear.
Zelensky told Axios that if Washington insists on a full withdrawal from Donbas, the plan should be put to a national referendum, contingent on a 60-day ceasefire to allow preparations. US officials reportedly view this as a sign of flexibility, though recent polling suggests Ukrainian voters may reject territorial concessions.
Russia currently controls all of Crimea and roughly 12 per cent of Ukraine’s territory overall, including most of Donbas and large parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. President Vladimir Putin has said any peace deal must include Ukraine’s withdrawal from these regions and a formal renunciation of Nato membership.
European leaders and Kyiv remain wary that a rushed deal could reward what they describe as Russian imperial aggression and leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attacks. They warn that concessions could embolden Moscow to threaten Nato states.
Zelensky also met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday, who pledged an additional C$2.5 billion (US$1.83bn) in economic aid. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed Europe’s support for a “just and lasting peace” that safeguards Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.
