WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet Tuesday in Paris with US peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — one day after naming a critic of President Trump as his new economic adviser, calling her “highly skilled,” despite Trump describing her as “toxic” and “terrible.”
The summit is expected to focus on Zelensky’s request for “security guarantees” and will include meetings with major European leaders, some of whom have offered peacekeeping troops to ensure a negotiated peace remains in effect.
It’s unclear what effect Zelensky’s choice of former Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland as his new economic adviser will have on the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, but the US president has repeatedly made clear that he detests her.
Freeland resigned as then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s finance chief in December 2024 after clashing with Trump over his tariff threats.
Trump said at the time: “Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”
Trump remembered her derisively in May when he hosted current Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office, saying “I didn’t like” Freeland, whom he called a “terrible person” who caused a “bad relationship” by trying to “take advantage” of the US.
Freeland, meanwhile, gloated about Trump disliking her during her unsuccessful bid in January to lead Canada’s Liberal Party, which she lost to Carney — even clipping footage of the US president dissing her to use in her campaign videos.
“I want to let you in on a little secret: Donald Trump doesn’t like me very much,” she said in an ad. “Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies think they can push us around. Trump thinks we’re for sale, that he can take what isn’t his. Well, we’re not going to let him.”
Zelensky announced that Freeland’s surprising new role on X Monday.
“Today, I appointed Chrystia Freeland as an Advisor on Economic Development. Chrystia is highly skilled in these matters and has extensive experience in attracting investment and implementing economic transformations,” Zelensky wrote.
“Right now, Ukraine needs to strengthen its internal resilience – both for the sake of Ukraine’s recovery if diplomacy delivers results as swiftly as possible, and to reinforce our defense if, because of delays by our partners, it takes longer to bring this war to an end. I am grateful to everyone who is ready to support our state and our engagement with partners. Glory to Ukraine!”
Zelensky met with Trump last Sunday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., for seemingly amicable talks.
Zelensky said afterward a peace plan is “90 percent” complete — despite the Ukrainian side introducing a new counter-offer of both troops from both sides withdrawing to allow for a demilitarized zone, rather than ceding more land to meet Moscow’s demands.
