Ukraine and US: A Step Closer to Peace?

In the midst of ongoing conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with US President Donald Trump in Florida. This meeting comes after weeks of intense discussions aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the war. The main focus of their discussion will be to finalize a peace plan. Initially proposed by Trump, the plan has been revised by Ukraine. Both sides have been working hard to close the gaps and find common ground. Trump, who has been on a holiday break, will interrupt his time off to attend this crucial meeting. The meeting was arranged following a phone call between Zelensky and Trump's foreign envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Progress has been made, with American officials stating that 90% of the terms have been agreed upon. However, the remaining 10% is proving to be challenging, particularly the issue of land concessions. Russia has not backed down from its demands, including Ukraine surrendering the entire eastern Donbas region. Zelensky is open to concessions but has stated that any changes to Ukraine's borders would need to be approved by a referendum. The US has offered suggestions on how to resolve the impasse, including the creation of an economic free zone in eastern Ukraine. The fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian occupation, is also unresolved. Zelensky has proposed that the plant be operated jointly by the US and Ukraine, with a share of the electricity output going to Ukraine.Despite the ongoing talks, Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine. This has raised questions about Russia's willingness to agree to an immediate ceasefire. Trump has pointed to both Ukraine and Russia as obstacles to peace. In a recent statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if Kyiv is not willing to resolve the matter peacefully, Russia will accomplish its aims by military means. This statement comes as Ukraine's air force reported 519 drones and 40 missiles launched by Russia overnight. American officials are hopeful that the meeting will be productive. Zelensky hopes to conclude a framework to end the conflict, including security guarantees from the US to prevent future invasions. A set of security guarantees, similar to NATO's Article 5, has been discussed. These guarantees would allow for deterrence from further Russian aggression, deconfliction mechanisms, and monitoring of an eventual peace deal. The meeting is not expected to include any European leaders. Trump has expressed optimism about the meeting but cautioned that Zelensky "doesn't have anything until I approve it. " European officials have described the current dynamic between the US and Ukraine as productive but acknowledged the unpredictability of any meeting with Trump.