Trump Speaks With Putin as Zelensky Arrives

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Florida for peace talks, scheduled to begin at 1pm, with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Setting the stage:

• Putin call: Trump posted Sunday that he'd spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of his meeting with Zelensky, per the Hill. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described it as "a good and very productive telephone call."
• Allies: Zelensky posted Sunday that he'd just had a conversation with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, updating him on preparations for his talks with Trump, "as well as all our contacts with European partners" and the latest Russian attacks. On Saturday, Zelensky stopped in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, per the AP. Carney's encouragement included an announcement that Canada will provide more economic assistance to Ukraine for rebuilding. He also condemned the "barbarism" of Russia's latest bombardment of Kyiv.

• Fresh attack: Russia struck private homes in the eastern city of Sloviansk overnight, local officials said, killing a man and injuring three people. Russia said it had targeted energy infrastructure facilities used by Ukraine's forces and military-industrial enterprises.
• Russian response: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blamed Europe for standing in the way of peace in an interview with state media published Sunday, per the Hill. He also discounted the idea of using EU troops as peacekeepers in Ukraine, per the New York Times, saying they'd be a "legitimate target" for the Russian military.

• Forecasts: Analysts say Putin is unlikely to accept the 20-point peace proposal Zelensky is bringing with him, given his troops' advances on the battlefield, per the Times. Trump told Politico days ago that he thinks the meeting with Zelensky will go well but has kept the pressure on Ukraine, saying, "we'll see what he's got." Earlier in the month, Trump warned that Zelensky "has to be realistic." On Sunday, Zelensky referred to possibilities. "A lot can be decided before the New Year," he said, adding, "Whether decisions will be made depends on our partners, those who help Ukraine, and those who put pressure on Russia."