By Gloria Ogbonna
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday that he is preparing to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump “before the New Year,” raising expectations that high-level diplomacy could soon accelerate efforts to bring an end to Russia’s nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine. The planned meeting would mark the most significant face-to-face engagement yet between the two leaders as negotiations gain momentum.
“We have agreed on a meeting at the highest level – with President Trump in the near future,” Zelensky said in a post shared on social media. “A lot can be decided before the New Year.” His remarks suggest growing optimism within Kyiv that decisive steps toward a ceasefire or broader peace framework may be within reach.
Zelensky said the announcement followed a briefing from Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s lead negotiator in the peace talks, who recently held fresh consultations with U.S. officials. According to the Ukrainian president, those discussions indicated substantial progress and alignment between Washington and Kyiv on the contours of a potential settlement.
“A lot can be decided before the New Year,” Zelensky reiterated in a follow-up post, underscoring the urgency he places on the talks as the conflict continues to take a heavy toll on Ukrainian civilians, infrastructure, and the economy.
President Trump has also signaled confidence that negotiations could soon bring an end to the war. He has repeatedly suggested that his administration is close to brokering a deal that would halt the fighting, arguing that sustained diplomacy—backed by U.S. leverage—can force both sides toward compromise.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, ongoing negotiations between U.S. and Ukrainian teams have produced a detailed 20-point plan aimed at ending the conflict. That proposal has reportedly been transmitted to Moscow for consideration, marking a critical step in the diplomatic process and placing pressure on the Kremlin to respond.
As part of these efforts, Zelensky has publicly outlined what may be his most far-reaching concession yet. He told reporters that Ukraine would be willing to withdraw its forces from parts of the country’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a broader peace agreement—provided Russia also pulls back its troops and the territory is transformed into a demilitarized, free economic zone under international supervision.
The proposal, first reported by Breitbart London, represents the clearest indication so far of the compromises Zelensky may be prepared to make regarding the Donbas region. Control of Donetsk and Luhansk has long been one of the most contentious issues in negotiations, with both Kyiv and Moscow viewing the area as strategically and symbolically vital.
Despite the renewed diplomatic push, the war itself continues unabated on the battlefield. On Thursday, Ukraine announced it had struck a major Russian oil refinery using British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles, signaling that Kyiv remains intent on maintaining military pressure even as talks progress.
Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces successfully targeted the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region, a key facility supporting Moscow’s energy and military logistics. “Multiple explosions were recorded. The target was hit,” a military spokesman confirmed in a statement posted on Telegram.
The dual track of intensified diplomacy and continued military action highlights the complex and high-stakes moment facing both sides. With a potential Zelensky–Trump meeting looming before the end of the year, the coming days could prove pivotal in determining whether the war moves closer to a negotiated settlement—or escalates further as negotiations unfold.
Source Breitbrat
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