The planned Sunday meeting at Mar-a-Lago represents Kyiv's final chance for a negotiated end to the war, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt said Friday.
President Donald Trump is expected to demand concrete movement on territory and final status.
Holt appeared on Newsmax's "Carl Higbie FRONTLINE" as reports emerged that Trump and Zelenskyy are preparing to meet Sunday.
Zelenskyy said the meeting is intended to finalize as many issues as possible before the New Year, adding that "a lot can be decided before the New Year."
"Yeah, it is a great sign because they wouldn't, you know, they wouldn't actually be allowing the meeting between Zelenskyy and President Trump if there wasn't a real reason to believe that substantive success couldn't be had and had soon," Holt said.
Holt framed the meeting as a narrowing window for Zelenskyy with Trump, arguing that European leaders have slowed prior diplomatic efforts.
"And so, honestly, I think this is President Zelenskyy's last chance in the batter's box with President Trump, because it's really been the European leaders that have been kind of an impediment to all of the Trump diplomacy," he said.
Holt cited recent public comments from European officials as an example of what he described as counterproductive positioning.
"In fact, you've got Kaja Kallas saying we shouldn't even be talking to the Russians right now, which is nothing but pure escalation," Holt said.
Kallas is the European Union's top foreign policy official.
Holt also pointed to developments involving Russia and Ukraine that he said suggest behind-the-scenes coordination is already underway.
"Also good that Kirill Dmitriev showed up in Miami right after the Ukrainians left. That means they're actually coordinating positions," Holt said about the Kremlin envoy.
According to Holt, the substance of any agreement will hinge on territory and the long-term status of the conflict.
"It's really going to be about territory, and it's going to be about final status," he said. "Is it going to be a frozen conflict, or is it going to be an ended war with new borders drawn?"
The White House has not formally confirmed the Mar-a-Lago meeting. However, Trump acknowledged plans to meet with Zelenskyy during an interview with Politico published Friday.
"I think it's going to go good with him," Trump said in the interview. The president added that Zelenskyy "doesn't have anything until I approve it."
"So we'll see what he's got," Trump said.
The meeting would come as the war sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine approaches its fourth year, with pressure mounting on Ukraine and its backers to define an endgame as battlefield lines harden and diplomatic options narrow.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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