Zelenskyy Seeks Meeting With Trump To Hammer Out Issue Of Territory

KYIV, Dec 24 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a meeting with Donald Trump to address the most sensitive issues such as territorial control in a future peace deal with Russia after the latest round of U.S.-Ukraine talks.

Speaking to reporters from his office on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian and US delegations were close to finalizing a 20-point plan during talks in Miami over the weekend.

“This is a document called the framework; it is a fundamental document on ending the war, a political document between us and America, Europe and the Russians,” Zelenskyy said.

“We are ready for a leaders’ level meeting with the US to discuss sensitive issues. Issues such as land issues should be discussed at the leaders’ level.”

US President Trump has long said he wants to end Europe’s deadliest war since World War II, but has so far failed to win significant concessions from the warring sides.

Kiev is pressing Washington to change its peace plan, which, in a draft released last month, reiterated Moscow’s key demands that Ukraine give up more territory, give up future military alliances and limits on its forces. Kiev says this would leave it vulnerable to future attacks by Russia, which invaded fully in 2014 and again in 2022.

Zelenskyy said that the latest 20-item framework draft is a significant improvement compared to the 28-item plan previously discussed by the United States and Russia.

Ukraine will keep its military at its current 800,000-strong force, and additional documents agreed with the United States and its European allies will provide solid guarantees of the country’s security.

“…We will be able to see a strong Ukraine, supported by the Coalition of Volunteers, with a mechanism to monitor compliance with peace and with details on how to react to possible new aggressions by Russia,” Zelenskiy said.

Zelenskiy said that Ukrainian and US officials are also working on various documents related to post-war reconstruction and investments.

However, despite the progress made, Ukraine and the United States still have not found common ground on territorial issues.

Zelensyiy said Kiev’s proposal was to “stay where we are” and stop fighting on existing battle lines. Moscow, whose forces are slowly advancing, wants Kiev to withdraw its troops from the entire eastern Donetsk region, about a quarter of which is still under Ukrainian control.

Zelenskyy said Washington was trying to find compromise and establish a demilitarized zone or free economic zone in the region.

Zelenskyy said that no agreement was reached on the fate of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is located in territory under Russian military control, close to the front lines. Zelenskiy said Kiev is proposing a small economic zone here.

Zelenskiy said that the new 20-article proposal will be examined by Moscow and then the next steps will be determined.

“We say, if all regions are included and we stay where we are, then we will reach an agreement,” Zelenskyy said.

“But if we do not agree to stay where we are, there are two options: Either the war will continue, or a decision will be made regarding all potential economic zones.”

(Reporting by Olena Harmash; Editing by Peter Graff)