US, Ukraine Hold Four Hours of Peace Talks Ahead of Planned Trump Envoy Meeting With Putin

US and Ukrainian officials wrapped up roughly four hours of discussions in Florida on Sunday, aiming to move closer to an endgame in the war sparked by Russia’s 2022 invasion. The talks came just days before President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected in Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the session with Kyiv’s delegation was “productive,” while acknowledging that major issues remain unresolved.

“It’s not just about the terms that end fighting,” Rubio said. “It’s also about the terms that set up Ukraine for long-term prosperity. We built on that today, but there’s more work to be done.”

Rubio was joined in the talks by Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, at the Shell Bay Club in Hallandale Beach — a property developed by Witkoff. The meeting took place at a delicate moment: Ukraine continues resisting Russian forces while Zelensky’s government grapples with a major corruption scandal at home.

Reworking a Controversial US Peace Framework

Diplomats are revisiting a US-authored draft plan negotiated earlier between Washington and Moscow, which critics say leaned too heavily toward Russian demands. Opening Sunday’s meetings, Rubio sought to reassure Ukraine that US support remains firm: the goal, he emphasized, is an end to the war that preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty and allows for “real prosperity.”

Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s security council, thanked the US for its support but offered no specifics on progress.
“US is hearing us. US is supporting us. US is working beside us,” he said.
“Our objective is a prosperous, strong Ukraine.”

The peace plan — which Trump now describes as a “concept” or “map” requiring refinement — has undergone changes, though negotiators have not disclosed what has been altered. Earlier provisions reportedly included limits on Ukraine’s military, blocking NATO membership, and requiring nationwide elections within 100 days. The original framework also envisioned Ukraine ceding all of Donbas to Russia, a red line for Kyiv.

Rubio said discussions extended far beyond stopping the fighting. Trump has repeatedly argued that deeper US-Ukraine commercial ties could help deter future Russian aggression. Earlier this year, the two countries signed an agreement granting American companies access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. Trump’s proposal also includes a Ukraine Development Fund targeting fast-growing industries such as technology, AI and data centers, plus joint work to rebuild Ukraine’s natural gas infrastructure — repeatedly targeted by Russian strikes.

“We want the Ukrainian people to emerge from this war not just to rebuild their country, but to build it back stronger and more prosperous than ever,” Rubio said.

A Shift in Kyiv’s Negotiating Team

Umerov’s involvement comes after a sudden shake-up in Ukraine’s leadership. On Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the resignation of his powerful chief of staff and chief negotiator, Andrii Yermak, whose home was raided amid investigations into a $100 million energy-sector embezzlement scheme. The scandal has placed new political pressure on Zelensky at home.

Just a week earlier, Rubio had met with Yermak in Geneva to discuss revisions to the peace plan.

Ukraine’s delegation on Sunday included Andrii Hnatov, head of Ukraine’s armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.

On social media, Zelensky said Kyiv would “swiftly and substantively” develop steps needed to end the war. In his nightly address Saturday, he said the US side was taking a “constructive approach,” adding that it may be possible “in the coming days” to outline a path to a “dignified end” to the conflict.

Fighting Continues as Diplomacy Advances

Even as talks progressed, Russian attacks continued across Ukraine. Missile and drone strikes around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded dozens. Fresh overnight strikes into Sunday killed one person and injured 19 more — including four children — when a drone hit a nine-story residential building in Vyshhorod.

Zelensky said Russia had launched 122 drones and ballistic missiles in a single day, part of a broader surge: “This week alone, Russians have used nearly 1,400 strike drones, 1,100 guided aerial bombs and 66 missiles,” he wrote on Telegram. He renewed calls for stronger air defenses and intensified diplomatic work toward peace.

Separately, Kazakhstan publicly urged Ukraine to stop attacking a major oil terminal at Novorossiysk. Ukraine claimed responsibility for damaging the facility on Saturday, prompting Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry to warn that such actions “harm bilateral relations” and must not be repeated. The terminal, operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, is a key outlet for Kazakhstan’s oil exports.