U.S. and Ukrainian officials held nearly four hours of talks in Florida on Sunday as both sides worked to shape a possible end to the Russia Ukraine war, days before a U.S. envoy is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the discussions were productive, but he noted that substantial work is still needed before any peace agreement can be reached. He said the aim is not only to stop the fighting but to ensure Ukraine’s long term stability and economic future. Rubio said progress was made, although more negotiations will be required.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is preparing for talks with Putin in Moscow in the coming days. Rubio, Witkoff and Trump adviser Jared Kushner represented the U.S. side in the Florida meeting, held at a sensitive moment as Ukraine continues resisting Russian forces while dealing with a corruption scandal at home.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had been briefed on the meeting and described Ukraine’s corruption problems as “not helpful.” He added that there is “a good chance” for a deal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government is facing strong pressure after revelations that $100 million was embezzled from the energy sector through contractor kickbacks. The scandal has added to political strains for Zelenskyy.
Diplomats are working on changes to a U.S. drafted peace plan that came out of earlier contacts between Washington and Moscow. Critics say the proposal favors Russian demands. At the start of Sunday’s meeting at the Shell Bay Club, a resort developed by Witkoff, Rubio said any agreement must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and set it on a path to long term prosperity.
Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s security council, expressed gratitude for U.S. support and said Ukraine values Washington’s efforts. After the talks, he again thanked the United States for its backing during the nearly four year conflict, though he did not provide details about any progress.
Rubio said the talks covered issues beyond ending the fighting. Trump has argued that deeper commercial ties between the U.S. and Ukraine could help deter Russian aggression in the future. The two countries signed an agreement earlier this year that gives the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Trump’s draft plan includes creating a Ukraine Development Fund to support industries such as technology, data centers and artificial intelligence. It also calls for joint work on rebuilding and operating Ukraine’s natural gas pipelines and storage systems, which Russia has repeatedly targeted.
Rubio said the United States wants Ukraine to be secure from future invasions and to enter a period of lasting prosperity. He said the aim is to help Ukraine rebuild in ways that make the country stronger than before the war.
Umerov has been involved in recent negotiations. Until now, Ukraine’s main negotiator had been Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, who resigned Friday after anti corruption investigators searched his home. Rubio had met Yermak in Geneva one week earlier.
The Ukrainian delegation in Florida also included Andrii Hnatov, head of Ukraine’s armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.
An earlier 28 point U.S. framework, which Trump later described as only a draft concept, would have limited the size of Ukraine’s military, blocked NATO membership and required elections within 100 days. It also proposed that Ukraine cede the entire Donbas region to Russia. Negotiators say the framework has changed, though details remain unclear.
Trump said last week that Witkoff and possibly Kushner would go to Moscow to meet Putin about the plan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would meet Witkoff before Thursday, when he leaves for India.
Witkoff and Kushner both come from the real estate world and were involved in a proposal that led to a ceasefire in Gaza.
In his nightly address Saturday, Zelenskyy said the U.S. team was taking a constructive approach and that steps could be outlined in the coming days for what he called a “dignified end” to the war.
Russian drone and missile strikes continued over the weekend despite diplomatic efforts. Attacks around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded dozens, authorities said. More overnight strikes into Sunday killed one person and injured 19, including four children, when a drone hit a nine story apartment building in Vyshhorod near Kyiv.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched 122 strike drones and ballistic missiles on Sunday alone. He said Russia had used nearly 1,400 drones, 1,100 guided bombs and 66 missiles in the past week. He called for stronger air defense and continued cooperation with partners to achieve peace.
Tensions rose further after Ukraine claimed responsibility for damaging a major oil terminal near the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Saturday. Kazakhstan, whose oil exports move through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, urged Ukraine to stop such attacks. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry said the strike harmed bilateral relations and asked Ukraine to take steps to prevent similar incidents.