Ukrainians are desperately hoping President Trump becomes the first world leader to fly to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion — believing it could force Moscow to pause the fighting and kick-start lasting peace.
Trump signaled he is willing to visit Kyiv to advocate for a plan to end the war while speaking with reporters after his summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday.
“As for President Trump’s proposals or signals that he is ready to address the Ukrainian parliament and be in Ukraine, I think that it will be useful if President Trump can come,” Zelensky said Tuesday. “He is talking about advocating a plan to end the war.
“I told him that, please, we would be glad to see him,” Zelensky said.
Trump would use the potential visit to push for the formalization of a peace plan on Ukraine’s side, which would require either a public referendum or ratification by its parliament, Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president suggested that Trump could take a direct flight to Kyiv — not the partial-train route typically taken since war broke out — which would send an unmistakable message.
“If President Trump, the president of the United States of America, flies to Ukraine — and it is desirable that he flies to Ukraine by plane, not to Poland and then travel by train — then this will indicate that you and I definitely have the opportunity to count on cease-fire,” Zelensky told reporters.
Kyiv officials would be counting on the high-profile visit to make it harder for Russia to keep attacking while the American commander-in-chief is in the country — and help jump-start an end to the nearly three-year war.
Kyiv has previously seen brief reprieves from Russian assaults during visits this year by US Special Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg. US officials have said Moscow fears Washington’s wrath should the Kremlin strike a representative of President Trump.
Ukrainians even memes depicting the envoy as a religious saint protecting the city because of his visits. Other memes have shown Kellogg — whose first name sounds like the Ukrainian word for “cat” — as a feline in cleric’s clothing watching over the city.
Zelensky also said he expects meetings between Ukrainian, American and European officials to continue in January — some of which could happen in Kyiv.
A pause in fighting from a Trump visit could serve as a precursor for a cease-fire that would buy Ukraine enough time to hold a referendum for the approval of its 20-point plan, which it hopes will be the basis for lasting peace.
The Kremlin has resisted the idea of a referendum, Zelensky said — instead advocating for Kyiv to adopt the provision unilaterally without asking its people.
Zelensky on Tuesday said he was not opposed to passing the plan through parliament but warned that Moscow may disregard an agreement reached in this way by later denying the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government.
