Welcoming Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, Donald Trump said he believes Putin is "serious about peace" in Ukraine. The US president will have another call with the Russian president after the meeting with Zelenskyy is over. Europeans will be debriefed separately.
"Too many people have died and I think both presidents want to make a deal," Donald Trump said as he welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his residence at Mar-a-Lago.
"I do believe that we have the makings of a deal that's good for Ukraine, good for everybody. There's nothing more important."
Trump also added that there will be a "strong" security agreement for Ukraine and "European nations are very much involved".
"I feel that European nations have been really great, and they're very much in line with this meeting and with getting a deal done. They are all terrific people."
US president also confirmed that a party from a call with the European leaders scheduled to take place after the first part of his meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump will then have another call with Vladimir Putin.
After weeks of intense high-level diplomacy, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to discuss the latest peace efforts to end Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine after nearly four years of hostilities.
Zelenskyy described the efforts leading to the bilateral meeting as the “most active diplomatic days of the year”, saying “a lot can be decided before the New Year”.
“We are doing everything toward this, but whether decisions will be made depends on our partners – those who help Ukraine, and those who put pressure on Russia so that Russians feel the consequences of their own aggression.” Zelenskyy said before the meeting.
Still, he added that Moscow has not indicated any willingness to out an end to its war against Ukraine.
This week alone, Russia launched air strikes carrying over 2,100 drones, around 800 guided aerial bombs, and 94 missiles of various types against Ukrainian cities.
"Russian representatives are having long conversations, but in reality, the Kinzhals (missiles) and Shaheds (drones) are speaking for them. This is the real attitude of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his entourage. They do not want to end the war," Zelenskyy said.
Separately, Donald Trump announced earlier on his Truth Social platform that he also held a call with the Russian president Vladimir Putin prior to meeting Zelenskyy.
“I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine”.
Trump did not provide more further details about the content of his call with Putin and didn’t reveal if Russian president had indicated a diplomatic breakthrough is possible.
European leaders not represented in Florida
European leaders will not participate in the Florida talks and won’t be physically present at the talk at Mar-a-Lago.
Nonetheless, according to the office of the president of Ukraine, Zelenskyy and Trump are expected to have a call with the European leaders one hour into their meeting, at approximately 20:00 CET.
On Saturday, on his way to the US, Zelenskyy made a stopover in Canada to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and held an online meeting with European and NATO leaders.
Ukraine’s president said they discussed the upcoming meeting with Trump and coordinated the Ukraine-EU position in anticipation of the talk with the US president on Sunday.