US President Donald Trump on Sunday (December 28), said he had a "good and very productive" telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The exchange came ahead of Trump's scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida, where the two leaders are expected to discuss efforts to forge a plan to end the war in Ukraine.
"I just had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 PM today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The meeting will take place in the main dining room of Mar-a-Lago. Press is invited. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Zelenskyy to meet Trump
US President Trump is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday in an effort to push forward a peace agreement aimed at ending nearly four years of war triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The meeting comes amid intensified Russian attacks on Kyiv and other parts of the country in recent days.
The talks will be held at Trump's private club, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, where the US president is spending the holidays. Zelenskyy said the discussions would focus on security and economic agreements, adding that he would also raise "territorial issues" as Ukraine and Russia remain sharply divided over the future of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
Russia launches ardent strikes in Ukraine
In overnight developments, three guided aerial bombs launched by Russia struck private homes in the eastern city of Sloviansk, according to the head of the local military administration, Vadym Lakh. Three people were injured, and one man died, Lakh said in a post on the Telegram messenger app.
The strike came the day after Russia attacked Ukraine's capital with ballistic missiles and drones on Saturday, killing at least one person and wounding 27, a day before planned talks between the leaders of Ukraine and the United States, Ukrainian authorities said. Explosions boomed across Kyiv as the attack began in the early morning and continued for hours.
Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy said the discussions will cover a range of key issues, including long-term security assurances for Ukraine and the future of disputed territories in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
"This attack is Russia's answer to our peace efforts. It really shows that Putin does not want peace," Zelenskyy said during a meeting with Canada PM Mark Carney during a stopover.
Carney announced USD 1.8 billion worth of economic assistance to Ukraine, saying it was high time to stand with Kyiv. "The barbarism that we saw overnight, the attack of Kyiv, shows just how important that we stand with Ukraine during this difficult time," he said.
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Also Read: Russia launches ardent strikes in Ukraine day before Zelenskyy-Trump meeting over peace deal
