Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi revealed on Monday that US President Donald Trump had informed him of discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the 20-point Ukrainian peace plan. The high-profile meeting between the two leaders took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday, December 28.
Zelenskyy further noted that he demanded security guarantees for the next 50 years. According to Zelensky, a meeting with Russia is possible if Donald Trump and European leaders agree on certain documents.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said Sunday he had a “wonderful” meeting with Putin and an “excellent” phone call that lasted more than two hours. The conflict is set to complete four years on February 24 since Russia’s sudden all-out invasion. Trump invited Zelensky to his private club to work out a deal between Ukraine and Russia that would bring peace to war-torn Ukraine.
Elaborating on his demands from the proposed peace plan, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted national security advisers to meet with the US and Europe in the coming days. He expressed hope for the delivery of security guarantees once the peace plan is signed.
Presenting his demands, Zelensky said the peace plan should be signed by Ukraine, the US, Russia and Europe, admitting that a technical group might be needed to do so. He stated that Ukraine was open to any form of communication with Russia and suggested that the peace plan be put to a referendum in Ukraine.
He argued that a ceasefire of at least 60 days would be necessary to hold such a referendum. Details regarding the monitoring of the ceasefire will be clarified in the security guarantees, Zelenskyy said. At the end of the press briefing, he said that discussions on the free economic zone will take place in Donbass.
Trump called Zelensky “brave”
During a late-afternoon press conference after the meeting, Trump told Zelensky: “President Putin has been very generous in his approach to Ukraine when he succeeded … including the supply of energy, electricity and other things at very low prices,” as he repeatedly called Zelensky “brave.”
When asked about the Ukraine meeting, Trump said, “I have no problem doing it…I don’t foresee it…I’d like to make a deal and NOT have to go,” RT News reported.
Stressing that Putin is “very serious” about ending the war, Trump said: “I saw a very interesting President Putin today…he wants to see it happen…He told me that very strongly. I believe him.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
