How do the shares of Rheinmetall, HENSOLDT, RENK & TKMS react? Zelensky meets Trump

Both shook hands in front of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach. The Russian side is not present at the bilateral talks. Shortly before the meeting, Trump had a meeting with the Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin telephoned.

Before the two went in, Trump said in a statement to the press that he was confident an agreement could be reached to end a war. Both warring parties wanted an end to the fighting. But he said when asked that he had no deadlines for this. You can now make further progress. Possible cessions of territory should also be part of the discussion, but Ukraine should benefit from “major economic benefits”. After the meeting he wanted to speak to Putin again on the phone. Trump also said that they wanted to talk to the Europeans.

The sticking point is the cession of territory

“Of course there are red lines for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said in a statement on his Telegram channel before the meeting in Florida. The Ukrainian had always categorically rejected the cession of those parts of the Donetsk region that Russia did not yet control, which Trump had also demanded. There are compromise proposals for the outstanding territorial issues, said Zelensky. The point is one of the most critical on the way to an agreement.

20-point peace plan

The Ukrainian head of state wants to talk to Trump about the 20 points he presented on Christmas Eve for a possible peace plan. The core issue is the security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in order to be permanently protected against a new Russian attack. Russia sees most of Zelensky’s points as contradicting his positions.

Zelensky: Grateful for EU help, but Ukraine needs more

Zelensky also said that there were parallel negotiations with the Europeans on security guarantees. He expressed his gratitude that the EU had decided on further financial support in the form of billions of euros in loans for Ukraine. “But frankly, there is always a lack of money, especially for the production of weapons and especially drones,” he said.

Before the meeting with Trump, the Ukrainian head of state said that he also wanted to talk to the US President about investments for the reconstruction of Ukraine after the end of the war. To do this, funds would have to be founded and up to 800 billion US dollars (679 billion euros) would have to be raised.

Zelensky assumes that Trump will once again insist on elections in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president, whose term officially expired in 2024 but was extended due to martial law, could be re-legitimized through a vote. According to Zelensky, the Kremlin is demanding that Ukrainian refugees in Russia – hundreds of thousands of them – be able to take part in the vote. The Ukrainian said that Russia’s leadership itself was not legitimate. Elections in Russia have been criticized as neither fair nor free.

Allies pledge support for Zelensky

Ukraine’s allies supported Zelenskyj before his meeting with Trump over a telephone call on Saturday. “The eleven heads of state and government from Europe and Canada as well as the heads of NATO and the EU assured Ukraine of their full support and emphasized that they would work in close coordination with the USA for a sustainable and just peace in Ukraine,” said a spokesman for the federal government in Berlin. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also took part in the conversation, made similar comments.

At Selenskyj’s request, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) invited people to the telephone switch in the format of the recent Berlin meeting. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Europeans must be fully involved in the discussions that affect them, according to Élysée circles. In January, Macron will host another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris.

Zelenskyj wrote on Telegram after the telephone switch that he wanted to continue the conversation with the allies on Sunday after the meeting with President Trump. “We need a strong position both at the front and in diplomacy so that Putin cannot manipulate and prevent a real and just end to the war.”

Putin in uniform claims new conquests in Ukraine

Before Zelenskyj’s new meeting with Trump, Putin appeared in uniform and demonstratively let his general staff inform him about alleged new conquests in Ukraine. Putin said that Russia could also take over the Donbass – which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions – militarily. In a video clip released by the Kremlin on Saturday evening, he accused Zelensky of having no interest in a peace agreement. Zelensky rejects the withdrawal of his troops from Donbass.

“And if the power apparatus in Kiev is not ready to settle the matter peacefully, then we will solve all the tasks before us by force of arms as part of the special military operation,” Putin said. Special military operation is the official name in Russia for the war of aggression against Ukraine that began in 2022.

Moscow wants to take Myrnohrad and Hulyaypole

Russia claimed the city of Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast had been captured. After the capture of Siversk in the north of the Donetsk region, the way to the large city of Slovyansk is now clear, claimed Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. He said Russian troops were advancing along the entire front line.

According to Russian military information, the city of Hulyaypole in the Zaporizhia region was also captured. A spokesman for the Ukrainian military spoke at midday of fierce fighting around Hulyaypole and unsuccessful Russian attacks. Within a few hours, Russia lost 400 soldiers there. The information could not be independently verified.

Defense stocks in the focus of diplomacy

Against this background, it remains to be seen how the shares of Rheinmetall, RENK, HENSOLDT and TKMS will move in Monday trading.

Since defense stocks have been highly sensitive to any signals about potential peace negotiations or ceasefire scenarios in recent months, investors will likely be closely analyzing the results of the Mar-a-Lago talks. While Zelensky’s call for more anti-aircraft systems and investments in weapons production supports demand fantasy, concrete approaches to a peace solution could dampen previous market growth expectations and cause volatility among industry leaders.

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KIEW/PALM BEACH (dpa-AFX)