Zelensky announces a meeting with Trump “in the near future”. “Many things can be decided before the New Year”
US President Donald Trump (right) looks on as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) shows him documents during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. PHOTO: Ukraine Presidents Office / Alamy / Profimedia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday he had agreed to a meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump “in the near future” after weeks of intensified diplomatic efforts to end the war between his country and Russia, Reuters and AFP write.
“We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level – with President Trump, in the near future. Many things can be decided before the New Year,” Zelenskiy wrote in a message published on social networks.
According to Zelensky, the setting up of the meeting came after Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's main negotiator in the peace talks seeking a way to end the war started by Russia almost four years ago, told him about his latest contacts with representatives of the American side.
Rustem Umerov reported on his latest contacts with the American side. We are not losing a single day. We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level – with President Trump in the near future. A lot can be decided before the New Year. Glory to Ukraine!
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelenskyy (@ZelenskyyUa) December 26, 2025
The Ukrainian president unveiled on Wednesday the new version of the American plan aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, negotiated for several weeks between Washington and Kiev.
This text foresees the freezing of the front on the current lines, without offering an immediate solution to the thorny problem of the territories occupied by Russia, which currently controls over 19% of the Ukrainian territory.
Unlike the original version of this document, drafted by the Americans, the new version of the plan leaves out two major demands of Moscow: the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donbas territories still under Kiev's control, and a binding legal commitment by Ukraine not to join NATO.
For this reason, an agreement by Moscow on this new version seems unlikely. Asked about the issue on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Moscow was in the process of “formulating its position” and declined to comment on specifics.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said progress toward ending the war was “slow but steady.”
