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U.S. President Donald Trump cast himself as the ultimate arbiter of any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, telling Politico that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "doesn't have anything until I approve it" ahead of their meeting at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday.
"So we'll see what he's got," Trump said in an exclusive interview with Politico on Friday.
Zelenskyy is expected to bring a new 20-point plan for peace that includes a proposed demilitarized zone, with the meeting expected to focus on U.S. security guarantees.
"Trump appeared lukewarm to Zelenskyy's latest overture and in no rush to endorse the Ukrainian president's proposal," Politico reported.
In a separate interview with Axios on Friday, Zelenskyy stated that he hopes to agree on a framework with Trump for ending the war when they meet Sunday.
Zelenskyy revealed he is willing to bring the plan up for a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days.
"It's better to not have a referendum than have a referendum where people do not have the possibility to come and vote," Zelenskyy told Axios.
A senior U.S. official told Axios that the Russians understand the need for a ceasefire if Zelenskyy calls a referendum but want a shorter timetable.
Trump noted that he believed he could have a productive meeting this weekend, saying, "I think it's going to go good with him. I think it's going to go good with Putin," Trump said, adding that he expects to speak with the Russian leader "soon, as much as I want."
Trump noted that Russia's economy is "in tough shape, very tough shape."
On security guarantees, Zelenskyy told Axios, "I think we are ready with these documents," though there are some "technical things" to discuss further.
The U.S. has proposed a 15-year pact that could be renewed. "I think we need more than 15 years," Zelenskyy said, adding he would consider it a "big success" if Trump agreed with that during their meeting.
"Both the U.S. and Ukraine would bring the security guarantees before their legislatures for ratification," Zelensky said, adding that most aspects of the bilateral U.S.-Ukraine agreements are now set and have been codified into five documents, though a sixth may be added.
Zelenskyy also said that if the plan demands "a very difficult" decision on territory, he believes the best path forward will be to put the entire 20-point plan to a referendum.
He compared such a vote to the Brexit referendum in the U.K.—with people campaigning intensely on both sides of a very complex issue—except on a much tighter timeline and in a war-torn country.
Zelenskyy confirmed that Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were prepared to visit Ukraine to lay out the benefits of the deal. He suggested that perhaps Trump himself should visit to make the case.
But Zelenskyy said that if that campaign takes place amid ongoing Russian attacks, it will end badly. For all the talk of security guarantees and economic benefits, "the people will see the missiles."
Russia has moved very little from its maximalist position and has not reacted to the latest proposal, Politico reported.
Zelenskyy's offer of a demilitarized zone came with a key condition: Russia would have to withdraw its forces from a corresponding stretch of land in Donetsk.
Russia has given no indication that it is willing to accept anything short of full control over the region.
Zelenskyy said it is not yet clear to him whether Russia is prepared to agree to Trump's plan, adding that, "I have some intelligence ... but I'm at the moment when I want to believe only the words of leaders."
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