This weekend, officials from the Trump administration are set to engage with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida. The aim? To encourage Russia to help facilitate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine ahead of a crucial meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow later this week.
Among those participating are Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. This gathering comes at a critical moment for Ukraine, which is still battling the Russian military that launched an invasion in 2022.
Just a day before the discussions in Florida, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced the resignation of his influential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Yermak had been the key negotiator with the U.S. This development follows a raid on his home by anti-corruption investigators, as Zelenskiy’s administration grapples with a corruption scandal involving over $100 million misappropriated from the energy sector, creating additional pressure on the president.
Rubio had actually met with Yermak in Geneva recently, and both parties seemed optimistic about finalizing an updated peace strategy.
The current Ukrainian delegation features Andriy Khnatov, the military chief, as well as Andriy Sibiha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. President Zelenskiy also consulted with Rustem Umerov, who chairs Ukraine’s Security Council.
Diplomats are concentrating on revisions to Trump’s 28-point peace proposal, which emerged from U.S.-Russia discussions. This plan received criticism for being too favorable to Russia, particularly its expectation that Ukraine would completely relinquish the eastern Donbas region, a major point of contention for Kiev.
The framework, which Trump has since referred to more casually as a “concept” or a “map” needing “tweaks,” includes constraints on Ukraine’s military size, a prohibition on NATO membership, and a requirement for the country to hold elections in just 100 days. While negotiators have mentioned changes, the specifics of these revisions remain unclear.
Trump indicated he would send Witkoff and possibly Kushner to Moscow for talks with Putin about this plan. Like Trump, both men have backgrounds in real estate, where deal-making tends to take precedence over traditional diplomatic protocols. They also backed a successful 20-point proposal that led to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Zelensky wrote on X that the Ukrainian team is prepared to “immediately and substantively launch the necessary measures to end the war.” In a speech on Saturday night, he noted that the American negotiators were displaying a “constructive approach.”
He mentioned that in the coming days, they would likely be able to implement strategies to bring about a dignified end to hostilities.
Meanwhile, in other news, reports indicate that at least three individuals have died and many others were injured due to Russian drone and missile strikes near the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. One of the fatalities occurred when a drone hit a residential building in the Vyshohorod area, injuring 19 others, including four children.
Zelensky shared on Telegram that Russia assaulted Ukraine with 122 drones and ballistic missiles. He remarked, “These attacks happen every day. Just this week, Russia deployed around 1,400 drones, 1,100 guided bombs, and 66 missiles against our people. Thus, we must enhance Ukraine’s resilience regularly. We require missiles, air defense systems, and active collaborations with our partners for peace.”
“We need real, credible solutions that can effectively end the war,” he emphasized.
On another note, Kazakhstan has urged Ukraine to cease attacks on a Black Sea terminal. This follows Ukraine’s claim of responsibility for damaging a significant oil terminal located near Russia’s Novorossiysk port, which is essential for Kazakhstan’s oil export pipeline.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern, stating, “We view this incident as undermining our bilateral relations and expect Ukraine to take steps to prevent further such occurrences in the future.”
