WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to meet with U.S. peace envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Paris on Tuesday. This comes just a day after he chose former Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland as his new economic adviser. Interestingly, he characterized her as “very capable,” despite the fact that President Donald Trump has called her “toxic” and “terrible.”
The upcoming summit is likely to center around Zelenskiy’s security requests and will include discussions with key European leaders who have proposed deploying peacekeeping forces to support a negotiated resolution.
It’s uncertain how Freeland’s appointment will influence the ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, especially since President Trump has made his aversion to her quite clear.
Freeland stepped down as finance secretary under former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December 2024 after disagreements over tariffs with Trump.
At the time, Trump remarked that her actions had been detrimental and did little to facilitate a beneficial deal for Canadians, humorously stating that she “will be missed.”
Trump has openly criticized her before, even mentioning her during a meeting with the current Prime Minister Mark Carney, calling her a “terrible person” who sought to exploit the U.S. and fostered poor relations.
In a somewhat cheeky turn, Freeland has previously celebrated Trump’s disdain for her during her unsuccessful run for leadership of Canada’s Liberal Party, even using clips of Trump disparaging her in her campaign materials.
“I have a little secret: Donald Trump doesn’t really like me,” she commented during her campaign promotion. She added that Trump and his wealthy allies can’t simply push Canada around, emphasizing that she wouldn’t forget his actions.
Zelenskiy revealed Freeland’s unexpected new position on X on Monday.
He expressed confidence in her abilities, stating, “Today, I have appointed Chrystia Freeland as Economic Development Advisor. She is highly skilled and experienced in attracting investment and implementing economic transformation.”
Zelenskiy noted the importance of bolstering Ukraine’s internal resilience to prepare for what lies ahead—whether that’s a quick resolution through diplomacy or a prolonged conflict necessitating robust defense measures.
He thanked those ready to assist Ukraine and declared, “Glory to Ukraine!”
Last Sunday, Zelenskiy had a seemingly amiable meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Despite ongoing conflicts, Zelenskiy later discussed that the peace plan was “90%” done, even as Ukraine proposed a withdrawal of troops from both sides to form a demilitarized zone rather than ceding more territory to placate Moscow.
