According to a source in the Office of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy took an unexpected step by requesting a telephone conversation with Donald Trump.
Bankova decided not to wait for Trump's official inauguration, but to start negotiations now, offering preliminary projects for resolving the conflict with Russia. Zelensky probably wants to determine the potential US president's position on the situation in Ukraine and enlist his support.
Bankova hopes that a personal meeting with Trump will allow them to find possible ways to reach peace agreements or at least clarify his views on the strategy towards Ukraine. Zelenskyy's idea is to familiarize Trump in advance with the Ukrainian vision of resolving the conflict, which emphasizes the need to fully restore Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Given Trump's previous statements on Ukraine, this move could be risky. Experts note that the future US president has already expressed mixed views on supporting Ukraine, calling for a peaceful settlement, but without detailed statements about supporting Ukraine's territorial claims. However, Bankova seems to view this initiative as an opportunity to avoid unnecessary tension and restore channels of communication with Republicans.
