Trump issues chilling 8-word warning to Zelensky just hours before new tense showdown

Donald Trump is to meet Volodymyr Zelensky this weekend (Image: Getty)

Donald Trump issued a warning to Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of their expected meeting on Sunday. The US President is likely to meet his Ukrainian counterpart in Florida on the weekend, to discuss the Ukrainian 20-point plan for peace in the war-torn nation. 

Mr Zelensky told journalists the plan is "90% ready". But, ahead of the showdown, Mr Trump didn't appear ready to endorse the Ukrainian proposal for peace. He told Politico on Friday: "He doesn’t have anything until I approve it." He went on to add: "So we’ll see what he’s got."

Yet, he didn't dampen hopes the meeting could be productive, as he added: "I think it’s going to go good with him."

The US President then suggested he is planning to speak to the Russian leader soon, saying: "I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin." He added he expects to speak with him "soon, as much as I want."

The US and Russian leaders have held a number of meetings over the phone during the past months, with the last known taking place in mid-October.

In August, they met in person in Alaska but, despite the meeting being billed as a key step towars peace in Ukraine, it seemingly didn't lead to a breakthrough.

During the joint press conference that followed the summit, Mr Trump didn't mention Ukraine or the possibility of a ceasefire once, and no susbstantial step forward was agreed.

Volodymyr Zelensky is to present his 20-point plan to Trump (Image: Getty)

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Mr Trump's remark came as Mr Zelensky said on Friday, December 26, of his peace plan: "The 20-point plan that we worked on is 90 percent ready. Our task, to make sure that everything is 100 percent ready.

"It is not easy and no one says that it will be 100 percent right away, but nevertheles we must bring the desired result closer with each such meeting, each such conversation."

The meeting with Mr Trump, he added, will focus on security guarantees as well as territorial control of the Donbas region claimed by Moscow as Russian and the management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been occupied by Russian troops since March 2022, weeks into the unlawful Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky also said the plan will be a four-party agreement between Ukraine, the US, Russia and Europe.