Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Friday that he’ll meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida over the weekend.
Zelenskyy additionally mentioned on social media that he spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney on the telephone Friday forward of the assembly, and mentioned it was “an excellent dialog.”
The Prime Minister’s Workplace issued a press release Friday summarizing the discussions between Carney and Zelenskyy, which underscored the significance of holding “stress on Russia,” amid the continuing negotiations.
“The prime minister affirmed Canada’s dedication to Ukraine all through these negotiations and emphasised the necessity to keep stress on Russia to barter,” the PMO mentioned.
“Canada stays engaged by way of the Coalition of the Prepared to advance joint efforts for Ukraine’s safety and restoration. The prime minister and the president agreed to stay in shut and common contact.”
Zelenskyy instructed journalists that he’ll focus on safety ensures for Ukraine with Trump throughout Sunday’s talks, and that the 20-point plan underneath dialogue “is about 90 per cent prepared.”
An “financial settlement” additionally will probably be mentioned, Zelenskyy mentioned, however added that he was unable to substantiate “whether or not something will probably be finalized by the top.”
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The Ukrainian aspect can even increase “territorial points”, he mentioned.
Moscow has insisted that Ukraine relinquish the remaining territory it nonetheless holds within the Donbas — an ultimatum that Ukraine has rejected. Russia has captured most of Luhansk and about 70 per cent of Donetsk — the 2 areas that make up the Donbas.
Zelenskyy mentioned that Ukraine “would love the Europeans to be concerned,” however doubted whether or not it could be potential at quick discover.
“We should, no doubt, discover some format within the close to future wherein not solely Ukraine and the U.S. are current, however Europe is represented as properly,” he mentioned.
The introduced assembly is the most recent improvement in an intensive U.S.-led diplomatic push to finish the almost four-year Russia-Ukraine battle, however efforts have run into sharply conflicting calls for by Moscow and Kyiv.
Zelenskyy’s feedback got here after he mentioned Thursday that he had a “good dialog” with U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters on Friday that the Kremlin had already been involved with U.S. representatives since Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev lately met with U.S. envoys in Florida.
“It was agreed upon to proceed the dialogue,” he mentioned.
Trump is engaged in a diplomatic push to finish Russia’s all-out battle, which started on Feb. 24, 2022, however his efforts have run into sharply conflicting calls for by Moscow and Kyiv.
Zelenskyy mentioned Tuesday that he could be prepared to withdraw troops from Ukraine’s jap industrial heartland as a part of a plan to finish the battle, if Russia additionally pulls again and the world turns into a demilitarized zone monitored by worldwide forces.
Although Russian Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned Thursday that there had been “gradual however regular progress” within the peace talks, Russia has given no indication that it’ll comply with any form of withdrawal from land it has seized.
On the bottom, two individuals have been killed and 6 extra wounded Friday when a guided aerial bomb hit a busy highway and set automobiles aflame in Ukraine’s second largest metropolis, Kharkiv, mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote on Telegram.
One particular person was killed and three others have been wounded when a guided aerial bomb hit a home in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia area, whereas six individuals have been wounded in a missile strike on the town of Uman, native officers mentioned Friday.
Russian drone assaults on the town of Mykolaiv and its suburbs in a single day into Friday left a part of the town with out energy. Vitality and port infrastructure have been broken by drones within the metropolis of Odesa on the Black Sea.
In the meantime, Ukraine mentioned that it struck a significant Russian oil refinery on Thursday utilizing U.Ok.-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.
Ukraine’s Common Workers mentioned that its forces hit the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Russia’s Rostov area.
“A number of explosions have been recorded. The goal was hit,” it wrote on Telegram.
Rostov regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar mentioned {that a} firefighter was wounded when extinguishing the hearth.
Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries intention to deprive Moscow of the oil export income it must pursue its full-scale invasion.
Russia needs to cripple the Ukraine’s energy grid, in search of to disclaim civilians entry to warmth, gentle and operating water in what Ukrainian officers say is an try and “weaponize winter.”
– With a file from World’s Ari Rabinovitch
© 2025 The Canadian Press
