In a recent escalation of rhetoric ahead of their meeting in Florida, former U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “has nothing until I approve.” The statement, made in an interview, casts a shadow over upcoming discussions regarding a potential resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump emphasized his perceived role as the ultimate decision-maker in any potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. “The Ukrainian President has nothing until I approve it,” Trump stated. “So we’ll see what he has.” He further implied that any initiative would be inconsequential without his endorsement.
Despite this strong stance, Trump expressed optimism about a potentially productive meeting with Zelenskyy. He also indicated that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin “when the time is right.”
The meeting, scheduled to take place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, is expected to address territorial issues, a significant obstacle in ongoing efforts to end the conflict. This comes days after Zelenskyy revealed a revised U.S. plan for resolving the situation, which has reportedly faced criticism from Russia, who accuse Ukraine of attempting to undermine negotiations.
The revised plan purportedly involves freezing the current front lines, without immediately addressing Russia’s demands for control over territories constituting more than 19% of Ukraine. Reports suggest that the U.S. is pressuring Ukraine to withdraw from areas of the Donetsk region still under its control, based on Russian demands. A joint U.S.-Russia-Ukraine administration of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control, has also been proposed.
The meeting follows expressions of support for Zelenskyy from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Ukrainian President acknowledged the support, stating, “We are coordinating our positions, and everyone in Europe must be.”
