 "US President Donald Trump argues with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. It was a much-anticipated meeting. It was not expected to be contentious at all. Then it turned into a full-on yelling match. This contentious meeting set the tone for all future world leaders' visit to the White House. AFP")
US President Donald Trump on Friday cast himself as the ultimate arbiter of any peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, insisting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy doesn’t “have anything” until he “approves it”. The remarks from Trump came ahead of his meeting with the Ukrainian leader in Florida on Sunday.
Zelenskyy has told reporters that he’s bringing with him a new 20-point plan for peace in the war that has been inching closer towards four years. The framework includes a proposed demilitarised zone, and the meeting is expected to focus on US security guarantees.
However, in an interview with Politico, Trump appeared lukewarm to Zelenskyy’s latest overture. He appeared to be in no rush to endorse the Ukrainian president’s proposal. “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
The president’s remarks on the matter underscore the degree to which Ukraine’s fate rests on convincing Trump that it is conceding enough to satisfy a president who, in the past, appeared to be more inclined towards Russia. Meanwhile, Russia has moved very little from its maximalist position and has not reacted to the latest proposal.
In light of this, Washington has pushed Zelenskyy to move off his original demands, and Trump has often seemed to lose patience with the haggling.
Trump remains optimistic
Still, the American leader believes that he can have a productive meeting this weekend. “I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” Trump said, adding that he expects to speak with the Russian leader “soon, as much as I want.” Trump’s remarks came the day after Zelenskyy spoke with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law. Zelenskyy called that a “good conversation.”
Meanwhile, the tensions in Eastern Europe have been escalating significantly. Just this week, Kyiv has come under attack, and Poland’s fighter jets have been scrambled near its border with Ukraine - despite key peace talks taking place this weekend. Early on Saturday, the Ukrainian capital was targeted by missiles and drones, along with regions in the northeast and south, according to the Ukrainian air force, which said in its latest update.
Quick Reads
View AllMeanwhile, Rzeszów and Lublin airports in southeastern Poland were temporarily closed after the Polish armed forces scrambled fighter jets due to the Russian strikes on Ukraine. In a Telegram post, the Ukrainian air force said two explosions sounded in the Ukrainian capital, while an air raid alert remained in effect some four hours after being introduced. Hence, Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy will come at an extremely turbulent time.