Anticipation builds as the world awaits the outcome of the upcoming meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former U.S. President Donald Trump. “So we’ll see what he’s got,” Zelenskyy stated, underscoring the critical nature of the discussions.

In a flurry of diplomatic activity leading up to the talks, Zelenskyy held a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Together, they participated in a call with European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on Saturday, local time. This dialogue signals a concerted effort by Western allies to align their strategies and expectations.

Zelenskyy announced on social media that this coalition of leaders plans to reconvene following his meeting with Trump, indicating the significance of these discussions on the global stage. A key point of contention remains the operation of a strategic power plant, with Ukraine advocating for its management solely by Ukrainian and U.S. authorities.

In a broader context, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for security guarantees to coincide with the end of the war, stressing that Ukraine requires assurance against any future aggression from Russia. “Security guarantees must be simultaneous with the end of the war because we must be confident that Russia will not start aggression again,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported a potentially significant development. In a conversation with prominent Russian businessmen, President Vladimir Putin reportedly expressed a willingness to consider territorial swaps with Ukraine. However, he maintained a firm stance on retaining control over the entire Donbas region. This revelation adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing geopolitical chess game.

“Security guarantees must be simultaneous with the end of the war, because we must be confident that Russia will not start aggression again,” he said.

How has Russia responded to the plan?

However, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that, in a talk with some of Russia’s top businessmen on Wednesday, Putin signalled that he was open to territorial swaps with Ukraine, although insisting that he wanted all of Donbas.