There were talks between US and Ukrainian officials for about four hours on Sunday. The purpose of this conversation was to find a final solution to the war between Russia and Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later told reporters that the meeting was positive, but there is still work to be done on the peace deal. Rubio said it’s not just about the conditions that end the fight. It is also about those who prepare Ukraine for long-term prosperity. I think we worked on that today, but there is still more work to do.
The high-level talks in Florida come days before President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rubio, Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner represented the US side in the talks.
Continued pressure against the Russian army
The talks come at a sensitive time as Ukraine deals with a domestic corruption scandal and continues to push back against Russian forces planning to invade in 2022. Diplomats are focused on amending the plan proposed by the US, which was prepared during talks between Washington and Moscow. The plan has been criticized for placing too much emphasis on Russian demands. As the meeting began on Sunday, Rubio focused on reassuring Ukraine.
Gratitude for American efforts
“Obviously, the ultimate goal is not just an end to the war, but also about ensuring that Ukraine is sovereign and independent and has the opportunity for real prosperity,” Rubio said. Ukraine’s Security Council head Rustam Umerov, responding to Rubio, expressed gratitude for American efforts. The message was intended for Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine has not been grateful enough for American aid during the war.
Umerov said, America is listening to us and supporting us. Umarov, who accompanied Rubio to give a brief statement to reporters after the talks, emphasized Ukraine’s gratitude for US support during the nearly four-year war. But the senior official gave no indication as to what progress, if any, was made during the talks.
Our aim is a prosperous and strong Ukraine.
Umarov said that our aim is a prosperous and strong Ukraine. We discussed all important issues for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and the United States provided full support. Umarov has been involved in the ongoing negotiations. But until now, Ukraine’s chief negotiator was Andrei Yermak, Ukrainian President Zelensky’s powerful chief of staff. On Friday, Zelensky announced Yermak’s resignation after his home was searched by anti-corruption investigators.
Rubio meets Yermak in Geneva
Let us tell you that Zelensky’s government is in trouble due to a scandal involving embezzlement of more than US$100 million from the energy sector through bribes given by contractors, which is increasing new domestic pressures on it. Just a week earlier, Rubio had met with Yermak in Geneva, and both sides said the talks had been positive in producing a revised peace plan. Other members of the Ukrainian delegation included the head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrei Hnatov, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.
Trump said Tuesday that he would send Witkoff and Kushner to Moscow this week to meet with Putin on the plan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that Putin would meet Vitkoff before Thursday, when he then leaves for India. Like Trump, both Witkoff and Kushner come from the world of real estate, which values dealmaking over the traditions of diplomacy. Both also supported a 20-point proposal, which led to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Efforts to end the war accelerate
Zelensky wrote on X that the Ukrainian delegation will work quickly and concretely on the necessary steps to end the war. In his address on Saturday, Zelensky said the US side was demonstrating a constructive approach. He said that in the coming days it is possible to discuss in detail the steps to be taken to decide how to bring the war to an honorable end.
Three people died in missile attacks
At least three people were killed and dozens injured in Russian drone and missile attacks in and around Ukraine’s capital Kiev on Saturday, officials said. Local officials said one person was killed and 19 others, including four children, were injured in the latest attacks on Sunday night. The attack took place during a drone strike on a nine-storey apartment block in the city of Vyshhorod in the Kiev region.
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