Zelensky will speak with European leaders in Canada before meeting with Trump. He told reporters what he expects from the talks in the US

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will stop in Canada before meeting with Donald Trump in Florida on December 27, where he and Prime Minister Mark Carney will hold an online conversation with European leaders.

"We will discuss all the issues, inform, and exchange the details of the documents that I will discuss with the US President," Zelensky noted.

On his way to Florida, he answered journalistsʼ questions. Zelensky noted that sensitive issues of the peace agreement remain the territories and the currently occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP.

"Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation under any circumstances. We will communicate with the Ukrainian people: either itʼs a referendum, or some legislative changes. In order to hold elections or a referendum, it must be safe everywhere on our territory. It is also important that observers are present," the president emphasized.

Earlier, the President of Ukraine, in a comment to the Axios publication, stated that he was ready to put the issue of the peace plan proposed by the United States to a nationwide referendum if Russia agreed to a ceasefire for at least 60 days.

Citing Ukrainian foreign intelligence data, he noted that Russia will demand that Ukrainians residing in the Russian Federation and in temporarily occupied territories be able to vote in the Ukrainian presidential elections. The Russians want to use this as an excuse to declare the elections and the Ukrainian authorities illegitimate.

"Russia itself is illegitimate and therefore will send messages about the illegitimate nature of the Ukrainian government," Zelensky stressed.

When asked by journalists about the number of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation and in the occupied territories who could vote in the elections, Zelenskyʼs spokesman noted that Ukrainian citizens have the opportunity to vote in the controlled territory and abroad, but not in Russia.

According to Zelensky, the meeting with Trump in Florida will be public. It was agreed upon during the negotiations between the US and Ukrainian delegations in Miami.

The meeting will also be attended by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, the Minister of Economy Oleksiy Sobolev, the Chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, the Advisor to the Presidentʼs Office Oleksandr Bevz, and the First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia.

"Our task today is to put all the possibilities on paper so that we have security guarantees, restoration agreements, and a 20-point plan. There are compromises there. If we have things that will cause a lot of inquiries, we — Ukraine and the United States — will talk about it with society," Zelensky emphasized.

He also added that it is very important for Ukraine "that there is a signal that we want legally binding security guarantees, and this depends primarily on President Trump".

"The question is what security guarantees President Trump is ready to provide to Ukraine," the Ukrainian leader added.

He noted that such guarantees will largely depend on Trump: what he is ready to give, when and for how long.

"Of course, I will be grateful if this coincides with our desire," Zelensky added.

Regarding Chinaʼs willingness to join the peace track, the president says he sees no such signals.

"We always wanted China to put pressure on Russia to stop this war. But, on the contrary, it has increased the volume of imports of Russian energy resources — the Russian Federation spends money from this on the war," Zelensky added.

• On December 24, Zelensky first announced a draft 20-point peace agreement between Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and Europe. It included security guarantees similar to Article 5 of the NATO Charter, the operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant by three countries (Ukraine, Russia, and the United States), and a free economic zone in the Donetsk region.
• On the same day, Bloomberg wrote that Russia would demand changes to the latest version of the peace plan agreed upon by Ukraine and the United States.

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