What is the story about?
Ukrainian and US officials are set for a third consecutive day of discussions in Miami on Saturday, with Washington noting that meaningful progress will depend on Russia’s willingness to bring the war to an end. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner have been holding talks with top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov and Andrii Hnatov, the chief of staff of Kyiv’s armed forces.
These meetings follow a visit by Witkoff and Kushner to the Kremlin on Tuesday, where they discussed a US proposal to end the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although Moscow rejected parts of the plan. A readout from the Miami talks, posted on X by Witkoff on Friday, stated that both sides agreed that any genuine advance toward an agreement rests on Russia showing serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and halting the killings.
Officials also agreed on a framework for security arrangements and reviewed deterrence measures needed to support lasting peace.
Washington’s plan calls for Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia has been unable to seize on the battlefield in exchange for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s goal of joining NATO. The exact nature of these guarantees remains unclear, aside from an initial idea to base jets for Kyiv’s defence in Poland.
The proposal has undergone several revisions since it surfaced late last month, amid early criticism that it appeared too lenient toward Russia, which launched its invasion in February 2022. Witkoff, formerly Trump’s business partner and now a roving global ambassador, and Kushner had sought to convince Putin to accept the plan but left Moscow without an agreement.
Despite the lack of a deal, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described Tuesday’s five-hour late-night meeting in Moscow as cordial and welcomed Kushner’s involvement in the talks, which have been under way since spring. He said Putin and Witkoff held a genuinely friendly conversation and understood each other well, adding that Kushner had proved useful.
Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote on social media on Friday that much of the diplomatic process happens behind the scenes. He said Ukraine seeks to end the war and is ready for discussions, while the United States wants a pragmatic process and a swift end to the conflict, expecting compromises from both sides.
Trump said on Wednesday that his envoys had a reasonably good meeting with Putin, maintaining that they left with the strong impression that he wished to end the war. Since returning to office in January, Trump has alternated between embracing Putin and criticising Zelensky for what he described as a lack of gratitude for US support. He has also become increasingly frustrated that his attempts to persuade Putin to halt the war, including a summit in Alaska, have not produced results, and he has recently imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies.
Putin, who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, said the talks were complex but that he preferred to engage with Trump’s plan rather than obstruct it.
These meetings follow a visit by Witkoff and Kushner to the Kremlin on Tuesday, where they discussed a US proposal to end the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although Moscow rejected parts of the plan. A readout from the Miami talks, posted on X by Witkoff on Friday, stated that both sides agreed that any genuine advance toward an agreement rests on Russia showing serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and halting the killings.
Officials also agreed on a framework for security arrangements and reviewed deterrence measures needed to support lasting peace.
Washington’s plan calls for Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia has been unable to seize on the battlefield in exchange for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s goal of joining NATO. The exact nature of these guarantees remains unclear, aside from an initial idea to base jets for Kyiv’s defence in Poland.
The proposal has undergone several revisions since it surfaced late last month, amid early criticism that it appeared too lenient toward Russia, which launched its invasion in February 2022. Witkoff, formerly Trump’s business partner and now a roving global ambassador, and Kushner had sought to convince Putin to accept the plan but left Moscow without an agreement.
Cordial Moscow meeting and ongoing diplomatic efforts
Despite the lack of a deal, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described Tuesday’s five-hour late-night meeting in Moscow as cordial and welcomed Kushner’s involvement in the talks, which have been under way since spring. He said Putin and Witkoff held a genuinely friendly conversation and understood each other well, adding that Kushner had proved useful.
Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote on social media on Friday that much of the diplomatic process happens behind the scenes. He said Ukraine seeks to end the war and is ready for discussions, while the United States wants a pragmatic process and a swift end to the conflict, expecting compromises from both sides.
Trump said on Wednesday that his envoys had a reasonably good meeting with Putin, maintaining that they left with the strong impression that he wished to end the war. Since returning to office in January, Trump has alternated between embracing Putin and criticising Zelensky for what he described as a lack of gratitude for US support. He has also become increasingly frustrated that his attempts to persuade Putin to halt the war, including a summit in Alaska, have not produced results, and he has recently imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies.
Putin, who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week, said the talks were complex but that he preferred to engage with Trump’s plan rather than obstruct it.
