Trump says Ukraine’s Zelensky ‘doesn’t have anything until I approve it’ ahead of talks
The two leaders are expected to discuss issues like the future of the Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he expects to meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday in pursuit of a deal to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion, though the latest comments from Moscow raise doubts about how close a final agreement really is.
Zelensky told reporters on Friday that he would discuss sensitive issues with Trump including the future of the Donbas region in Ukraine’s east and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The Ukrainian leader said he plans to refine Kyiv’s agreements with the US to the maximum extent possible, potentially as soon as Sunday’s discussions, while the comprehensive 20-point peace plan would then require input from Russia and Europe.
Trump confirmed that Zelensky – and, separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – is coming to the US to meet him during an interview with Politico published on Friday. The US president also asserted that he has veto power over any potential Ukraine-Russia peace deal.
“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said, referring to Zelensky. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”
The Ukrainian leader has said that his country’s framework deal with the US was “almost ready”, and signing it would depend on the meeting with Trump.