US President Donald Trump has said any peace agreement to end the war between Ukraine and Russia would hinge on his approval, positioning himself as the ultimate decision-maker ahead of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida.
In an exclusive interview with Politico on Friday, Trump appeared sceptical of Zelenskyy’s revised 20-point peace proposal, which the Ukrainian leader is expected to present during their meeting on Sunday. The framework reportedly includes a demilitarised zone and requests for US security guarantees.
“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said of the proposal. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
Zelenskyy has said the talks will focus on unresolved issues such as security guarantees, control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and territorial questions related to the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. According to The New York Times, the Ukrainian leader described the agenda as wide-ranging and said “a lot can be decided before the New Year”.
Trump’s comments highlight how dependent Kyiv’s strategy has become on persuading Washington that Ukraine is willing to compromise. While the US has urged Zelenskyy to soften some earlier demands, Russia has largely maintained a hardline stance and has not publicly responded to the latest proposal, Politico reported.
Despite his reservations, Trump said he expected the discussions to be positive. “I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with Vladimir Putin,” he said, adding that he hopes to speak with the Russian president “soon”.
The remarks came a day after Zelenskyy met Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, talks the Ukrainian leader later described as a “good conversation”. The New York Times reported that the discussions generated “good ideas” and fresh thinking on diplomatic formats and timelines.
Zelenskyy’s proposal reportedly envisages a demilitarised zone in parts of Donbas still under Ukrainian control, contingent on Russia withdrawing its forces from a corresponding area in Donetsk. Moscow, however, has shown no sign of accepting anything short of full control of the region, underscoring the gulf between the two sides.
Trump also claimed Russia was under severe economic strain. “Their economy is in tough shape, very tough shape,” he told Politico.
During the interview, Trump confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also visit him this weekend. “I have Zelenskyy and I have Bibi coming. They’re all coming,” he said, adding, “They respect our country again.” An NBC report cited by Politico said Netanyahu is expected to brief Trump on the growing threat from Iran.
Trump’s comments followed US airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria, which he said were delayed by a day for symbolic reasons. “I said, ‘nope, let’s give a Christmas present,’” he told Politico, claiming the strikes had severely damaged militant camps.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is prepared to show flexibility, but warned that if Russia refuses to engage seriously, stronger pressure from the West would be needed to move the war closer to an end, according to the New York Times.
