Ongoing Talks Between Ukraine and US Officials
In Miami, three days of discussions between Ukrainian and US officials have not led to any significant breakthroughs. Despite this, President Volodymyr Zelensky has reaffirmed his commitment to continued negotiations aimed at achieving “real peace,” even as Russia launched another series of drone and missile attacks on its neighbor.
Zelensky participated in a “very substantive and constructive” call with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as part of the third day of meetings in Florida. He emphasized Ukraine’s dedication to working honestly with the American side to bring about real peace, stating that the parties had agreed on the next steps and the format of future talks with America.
International Efforts to Address the Conflict
In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London on Monday. The meeting aims to assess the progress of negotiations on the US-drafted plan for ending the nearly four-year war.
Before Saturday’s talks, Russia launched over 700 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, targeting critical infrastructure such as energy sites and railways. This resulted in heating and water outages for thousands of households. Zelensky highlighted that the main targets of these strikes were energy facilities, emphasizing that Russia’s goal is to cause suffering for millions of Ukrainians.
The Russian defense ministry claimed that they targeted “Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises and the energy facilities that support them,” adding that all designated targets were hit.
France Condemns Russia’s Escalatory Actions
The talks come after Witkoff and Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday, where Moscow rejected parts of the US proposal. A readout of the Miami talks posted by Witkoff on X stated that both parties agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and cessation of killings.
On Friday, US and Ukrainian officials also agreed on the framework of security arrangements and discussed necessary deterrence capabilities to sustain a lasting peace. Macron criticized what he called Russia’s “escalatory path” and announced plans to travel to London to meet with Zelensky alongside German and British leaders.
“We will continue these efforts with the Americans to provide Ukraine with security guarantees, without which no robust and lasting peace will be possible,” Macron wrote on X. He added that pressure must be exerted on Russia to compel it to choose peace.
Uncertainty Surrounding Security Guarantees
Washington’s initial plan to end the conflict involved Ukraine surrendering land that Russia has not been able to win on the battlefield in exchange for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO. However, the nature of the security guarantees that Ukraine could receive remains uncertain, beyond an initial plan stating that jets to defend Kyiv could be based in Poland.
The US plan has gone through several drafts since it first emerged last month, amid criticism that it was too soft on Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Witkoff, Trump’s former business partner-turned-roving global ambassador, and investor Kushner had hoped to persuade Putin to cooperate but returned from Moscow without a deal.
Strong Impression from Talks
Trump stated that Witkoff and Kushner had a “reasonably good meeting” with Putin, asserting that they had the “strong impression” he would like to end the war. Trump has shown mixed support for Ukraine since returning to office in January, initially endorsing Putin and criticizing Zelensky for not being grateful for US support.
However, he has grown frustrated with his attempts to persuade Putin to end the war, including a summit in Alaska, which failed to produce results. Recently, he imposed sanctions on Russian oil firms. Putin, who was in India this week meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described the talks as “complex” but expressed a desire to engage with Trump’s plan “rather than obstruct it.”
Russian troops have been advancing along the front line against outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian forces.