Zelensky’s condition for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the front line

According to RCO News Agency, two well-informed sources said that “Volodymyr Zelensky” said in a telephone call with European leaders on Saturday, on the eve of his meeting with “Donald Trump”, that he does not expect Russia to give up its maximalist demands or to agree to Ukraine’s proposed plan for peace, but he wants the United States to focus on increasing pressure on Russia.

The Financial Times newspaper published this article: Zelensky told European leaders that Ukraine is ready to withdraw its forces if Russian forces withdraw from the front line to create a demilitarized zone, but in return he wants credible security guarantees that clearly define what actions Kiev’s allies will take if Moscow violates the peace again.

Zelensky also wants to ensure stable funding for Ukraine’s armed forces and support for its air defense, including a European military presence in Ukraine, one of the sources said.

According to these sources, he told the European leaders that Ukraine can agree to hand over the occupied territories to Russia only if a referendum is held under peaceful and secure conditions.

English media further wrote: Zelensky also demanded that the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant be placed near the front line under international control and the electricity produced by it be divided on both sides of the front line.

Moscow has already indicated that it will reject any amendments proposed by Ukraine to Trump’s initial plan, which was drawn up in the fall with significant participation from Moscow.

Referring to the upcoming talks between Zelensky and Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the West would offer Kiev “good basic conditions for ensuring Ukraine’s security in the long-term historical perspective,” which he said would include “restoring relations with Russia and Ukraine’s economy.”

However, Putin said that if Ukraine does not accept these terms, Russia will achieve its war aims on the battlefield.

Zelensky and Trump’s upcoming talks in Florida

The meeting between Zelenskiy and Trump in Maralago at 1:00 p.m. ET (9:30 p.m. Tehran time) is aimed at filling gaps in the initial 28-point peace plan that the US president first proposed last month and which Ukraine has since amended to 20 points. US representatives have begun intensive efforts to finalize a proposal that both Ukraine and Russia can agree on.

The meeting was arranged after Zelensky recently had an hour-long phone call with US presidential special envoy Steve Wittkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, who is working to finalize a peace deal.

Trump said earlier this month that he did not think it would be useful to meet with Zelenskiy or his European allies unless they were close to reaching an agreement, a sign that the talks were at an advanced stage.

US officials have described “significant progress” in peace efforts; So that a recent American official emphasized that “90% of the provisions of the relevant agreement have been resolved”.

The US peace initiative includes ceding parts of Russian-controlled territory, establishing a demilitarized zone on the Donbas front line, limiting the Ukrainian military, and waiving Ukraine’s demand to join the NATO alliance.

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