Ukraine, Zelensky: US security guarantees in plan for 15 years extendable. Macron: early January allies meeting

Kiev's courageous and responsible decision on the Donbass, which Russian presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov spoke about yesterday, is the complete withdrawal of the Ukrainian armed forces across the administrative borders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Peskov stressed, as Tass writes. "Of course, it is a withdrawal of the armed forces" of Ukraine "from the Donbass beyond the administrative borders," the Kremlin spokesman said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Ukraine and Russia are "closer than ever" to a peace agreement, saying he is confident that the leaders of the two countries want to reach an understanding, but without raising expectations about an imminent signing. At the end of the meeting in Mar-a-Lago, preceded by a long and "very constructive" phone call with Vladimir Putin, the US president appeared optimistic alongside Volodymyr Zelensky. They remain, however, he admitted, "one or two thorny issues". These include the Donbass.

"It is a difficult issue. We have different positions with Russia," Zelensky reiterated. "I would not say there is agreement on this point but we are getting closer. It is a big issue but we are closer than we probably were. We're moving in the right direction,' the US president explained in response to those who asked if there was an agreement on the Donbass as a free trade zone.

 Another knot to be untangled besides the territories is a possible truce: "We are working on it, I understand Vladimir Putin on this point," the tycoon remarked. During the phone call with the tsar that preceded the bilateral with Zelensky, Washington and Moscow - the Kremlin reported - agreed that a truce would only prolong hostilities.

 Another still unresolved issue is that of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: Trump and Putin have talked about it and the Kremlin leader "is working with Ukraine to get it opened. He is good at that,' the US president highlighted after noting that Putin is 'very serious' about wanting peace. Both Zelensky and the tsar 'want an agreement' and that there are the 'elements to reach it. We are in the final stages of the talks. Either the war will end or it will go on for a long time,' was the tycoon's analysis.

For now, however, a three-way meeting appears difficult: "There will be when the time is right," Trump noted, reporting that Russia would "help" with the reconstruction of Ukraine.

 During the face-to-face with Zelesnky, Trump also connected with European leaders. Europe will play a role in security guarantees for Kiev: 'There will be an understanding on security. It will be a solid agreement. The European nations are involved in this,' Trump emphasised without going into details.
To the leaders of the Old Continent Trump and Zelensky outlined the results achieved in the ongoing negotiations and indicated the issues still open. And the president assumed - according to Zelensky - that he could host them next month at the White House.
Intervening in the call, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recalled the importance of cohesion between partners at a time when the negotiation process is moving forward and reiterated the need to maintain maximum convergence on issues that affect the vital interests of Ukraine and its European partners.
The two sides also spoke about the importance of the negotiation process

 "Significant progress has been made, which we welcome. Europe is ready to continue working with Ukraine and our US partners to consolidate this progress. Crucial to this effort is having unshakable security guarantees from day one," commented European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

For Zelensky, the visit to Mar-a-Lago - his first, while there are seven occasions this year when he has met Trump - was a crucial test. The Ukrainian president arrived in a jacket and appeared calm at Trump's side despite the not always easy relations between the two, especially after the February clash in the Oval Office. This time, however, the tone appeared different: the US president praised him and called him courageous. Zelensky presented himself to Trump by putting on the table the possibility of a referendum on the peace plan, in an opening deemed significant as it shows that the Ukrainian president no longer excludes territorial concessions. And he also said he was open, in the event of an agreement, to the first elections since 2019 - a request from Moscow backed by Trump - provided security is guaranteed.

Openings that the American president seems to have appreciated. Indeed, the tycoon has not ruled out travelling to Ukraine or speaking directly to the Kiev parliament on the plan to end the war. It is still unclear whether the 20-point plan drawn up by Kiev and Washington will eventually get the go-ahead from Moscow: many still doubt that the Kremlin is really interested in ending the war, as evidenced by the incessant attacks in Ukraine. But after the progress between Trump and Zelensky, the ball is in Putin's court.

A meeting of Kiev's allied countries, the so-called Coalition of the Willing, is scheduled to begin in January in Paris. This was announced on social media by French President Emmanuel Macron, commenting on the Mar-a-Lago meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Together with several other European leaders, this evening (Sunday, ed.) I took part in an exchange of views with Presidents Zelensky and Trump," Macron wrote in the night on X, after the meeting in Florida between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States. "I subsequently had talks with President Zelensky. We are moving forward on security guarantees, which will be central to building a just and lasting peace. We will bring together the countries of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris in early January to define the concrete contributions of each,' the French president added.