Trump Meets Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago as Russia Escalates Attacks on Kyiv
The talks come after days of heavy Russian missile and drone attacks and as negotiators say a U.S.-backed peace plan is nearing completion.
President Donald Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday at Mar-a-Lago, as both leaders push to finalize a U.S.-brokered peace plan aimed at ending nearly four years of war triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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The high-stakes meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., comes after days of intensified Russian attacks on Kyiv and other cities, underscoring the urgency—and fragility—of the diplomatic effort. Zelensky, who arrived in Florida Sunday morning, has said the talks will focus on security guarantees, economic support, and unresolved territorial disputes, particularly over eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelensky said he spoke by phone with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to brief him on battlefield developments and the impact of recent Russian strikes. Zelensky’s office said he plans to update other allies following his sit-down with Trump.
Overnight, Russian guided aerial bombs struck residential areas in the eastern city of Sloviansk, killing at least one person and injuring three others, according to local officials. The attack followed a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones that hit Kyiv on Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding dozens more, Ukrainian authorities said.
The renewed violence comes as U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators say they are close to agreement on a revised 20-point peace proposal—down from an earlier 28-point draft that drew sharp criticism in Kyiv and across Europe for offering sweeping concessions to Moscow. Zelensky has said the current proposal is “about 90% ready,” though key details, including the scope of security guarantees and territorial arrangements, remain unresolved.
Read more: Zelensky Says Russia ‘Must Pay Fully’ for War in Ukraine as U.S. Agrees to Modify Peace Plan
“They do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering and increase their pressure on others around the world,” Zelensky wrote on X following Saturday's attacks, which he said involved around 500 drones and 40 missiles. At least two people were killed and dozens more wounded, including two children, and around a third of Ukraine’s capital was left without heating.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had shot down 111 Ukrainian drones Saturday afternoon, several of which were over Moscow. Ukrainian officials also reported clashes along the front lines.