Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is holding a critical meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday, seeking a breakthrough to end the nearly four-year war, as Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning that Moscow would achieve its goals by force if peace efforts fail.
Kyiv Under Fire Ahead of High-Stakes Summit
The diplomatic push comes against a backdrop of intense violence. On Saturday, Russian forces launched a massive aerial assault involving almost 500 drones, largely Shahed models, and 40 missiles. The attack targeted Kyiv and regions in northeast and southern Ukraine, leaving nearly a third of the capital without heating in sub-zero temperatures and killing at least one person.
President Zelensky stated the bombardment demonstrated that Putin “doesn’t want peace,” casting a shadow over the day’s negotiations. In remarks carried by the Russian state news agency TASS, Putin asserted that Ukraine was “in no hurry for peace” and vowed Moscow would accomplish all its objectives militarily if a peaceful resolution was not desired by Kyiv.
Divergent Claims on the Battlefield and the Negotiating Table
As the leaders prepared to talk, conflicting reports emerged from the front lines. The Kremlin announced that Russian commanders had informed Putin of the capture of several towns in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, including Myrnohrad, Rodynske, Artemivka, Huliaipole, and Stepnohirsk.
Ukraine’s military immediately rejected the claims regarding Huliaipole and Myrnohrad. The General Staff described the situation in these areas as “difficult” but confirmed Ukrainian troops were continuing defensive operations. Ukraine’s Southern Command stated “fierce fighting” continued in Huliaipole, with a substantial part of the town still under Ukrainian control.
Ahead of the Florida summit, Zelensky revealed a draft peace plan was “about 90 per cent ready,” centring on US-backed security guarantees for Ukraine and the contentious territorial issues in the east. However, Trump tempered expectations, telling Politico that Zelensky “doesn’t have anything until I approve it.”
International Stakes and Wider Threats
The talks have significant implications beyond the US and Ukraine. Zelensky confirmed he would hold discussions with European leaders following his meeting with Trump, aiming to solidify a unified diplomatic front. European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, have insisted any ceasefire must include international monitoring—a condition Russia opposes.
Further raising tensions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that any European troop contingents deployed to Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets” for Russian forces. He accused European politicians of being driven by ambition over the welfare of their own people.
In a separate strategic development, researchers using satellite imagery believe Russia is likely placing new hypersonic ballistic missiles at a former airbase in Belarus. The missiles, with an estimated range of up to 3,400 miles, were characterised by Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin as a “response” to Western aggression.
The path to peace remains fraught, with the outcome of the Trump-Zelensky talks poised to shape the next phase of a conflict that continues to devastate Ukraine and challenge global security.
