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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that while citizens are exhausted from the war, they want a just peace. According to recent polling cited by Zelenskyy in an interview with Fox News, 87% of Ukrainians support peace, but 85% oppose Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the Donbas region.
“People want peace. Today, Trump mentioned he saw survey data showing 85–87% want peace. But 85% are against leaving Donbas. This means everyone wants peace, but it must be a fair peace,” Zelenskyy stressed. He called any withdrawal from Donbas “the worst-case scenario” and warned that it would be unacceptable for Ukrainians, noting that a referendum under such conditions would not be successful.
Meeting with Trump
On Sunday, December 28, Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida for nearly two hours to discuss contentious points of the U.S.-proposed peace plan for Ukraine.
After the talks, both leaders addressed the press. Trump reported progress on the Donbas issue but said a final decision had not yet been made, though the sides were moving closer to an agreement. The U.S. president also announced the creation of a special working group on peace negotiations, which will include senior U.S. officials and coordinate with Russia.
Zelenskyy confirmed that the peace plan is 90% agreed upon, with U.S. security guarantees fully confirmed. According to media reports, Trump is prepared to have these guarantees ratified by the U.S. Congress, while French President Emmanuel Macron noted progress on contributions from the “coalition of the willing” to Ukraine’s security.
