US and Ukrainian officials hailed “productive” talks after hours of negotiations held in Florida to discuss a peace deal to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war.
The next round of talks will take place with the Russian side in Moscow as Washington pushes to advance President Donald Trump’s 28-point peace plan to end the conflict.
US-Ukraine Talks
American and Ukrainian officials held prolonged talks on Sunday in Florida in an attempt to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to an end. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, led the American side, alongside US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The Ukrainian side were represented by the head of the National Security Council Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Andrii Hnatov, and Presidential Adviser Oleksandr Bevz, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Ahead of the meeting, Rubio told reporters that the goal of the discussions included “securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.”
Meanwhile, Umerov expressed appreciation to the US for supporting Ukraine during the war. Umerov is leading Ukraine’s negotiating team instead of Andrii Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, who was sacked last week after a corruption scandal in the energy sector.
Cautious Optimism
Both Rubio and Umerov praised the talks as “productive.” However, the US State Secretary said that a lot of work remains to reach a peace deal. “It’s not just about the terms that ends fighting. It’s about also the terms that set up Ukraine for long-term prosperity. … I think we built on that today, but there’s more work to be done,” Rubio said after the meeting.
Moreover, Rubio noted that the talks were comprehensive, involving discussions on securing Ukraine’s future. “We also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion. And equally importantly, we want them to enter an age of true prosperity” where they can build a stronger and more prosperous nation, the US State Secretary said.
Similarly, Trump voiced optimism regarding progress in the talks. “I think that there’s a good chance we can make a deal,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. He also mentioned the political turmoil in Ukraine following the corruption scandal. “Ukraine’s got some difficult little problems,” which he described as “not helpful.”
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, praised the talks outcomes. “It is important that the talks have a constructive dynamic and that all issues were discussed openly and with a clear focus on ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and national interests,” he posted on X.
Witkoff-Putin Meeting
Trump’s Special Envoy Witkoff is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in the coming days. The meeting was confirmed by the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, who said that Putin will host Witkoff for talks before Thursday.
Putin suggested last week that Russia will continue fighting until it achieves its war goals, noting that he will not stop unless Ukrainian troops withdraw from the four regions that Moscow annexed in 2022. “If they don’t withdraw, we’ll achieve this by force. That’s all,” he said.
Commenting on Trump’s peace plan, Putin said it “could form the basis for future agreements,” but it is in no way final and requires “a serious discussion.”
Trump’s Peace Plan
The US has put forward a 28-point plan for ending the war in Ukraine. The proposal was drafted by Witkoff, Rubio and Kushner, in consultation with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev. However, it did not include contributions from Ukraine or its European allies.
The plan has faced criticism for being favorable to Russia, as it granted Moscow some of its key demands such as Ukraine ceding territories to Russia and forgo its NATO bid. Therefore, diplomats focused on revising the proposed plan to reassure Kyiv.
To this end, US and Ukrainian negotiating teams met in Geneva last week, saying the talks had been positive in putting together a revised peace plan, without providing details on the changes to the plan’s provisions.
The initial draft proposed that Ukraine cedes the entire Donbas region to Russia, with the US recognizing Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk as Russian territories – demands that Kyiv has firmly rejected. It also included limiting Ukraine’s military size to 600,000 soldiers, providing security guarantees to Kyiv, and holding election in 100 days.
Moreover, the plan involved the creation of a Ukraine Development Fund to invest in fast-growing industries, investing $100 billion of frozen Russian assets in US-led efforts to rebuild Ukraine, with the US receiving 50% of the profits and Europe adding $100 billion in investment for reconstruction.
