This past weekend in Florida, US negotiators sat down with Russian officials for the latest push to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine that began in February 2022. ✈️🕊️
On Friday, they also met with Ukrainian and European officials to build momentum. According to Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, the Florida talks were “constructive” and set to continue the next day.
US negotiators included Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and possibly Marco Rubio, who has hinted at joining the sessions. Meanwhile, progress on security guarantees for Kyiv has raised cautious optimism—but it’s unclear if Moscow will accept the terms.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the idea of a trilateral meeting with US, Ukraine, and Russia national security advisers. He noted past talks in Türkiye led to captured soldiers being returned, and said Ukraine is open to exchanges or new agreements.
Still, major challenges remain unresolved: territorial disputes, control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and funding for Ukraine’s reconstruction. During his annual press conference, Putin reiterated Russia’s demands from June 2024, including a NATO exit for Ukraine and withdrawal from four regions Russia claims.
Ukraine says it won’t cede land it has defended for nearly four years. Top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov confirmed that US and European teams agreed to keep working closely on next steps.
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U.S., Russian officials meet in Florida for further Ukraine talks
cgtn.com
