In a high-stakes meeting in Miami, Russian foreign-policy chief Kirill Dmitriev joined U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to push a U.S.-proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine.
U.S. and Russian officials meet in Miami
Kirill Dmitriev met with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Miami, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
Discussions proceed constructively
Kirill Dmitriev told reporters Saturday that “The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow.”.
Ukrainian and European responses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that much will depend on the U.S. posture after discussions with the Russians. The same day, Ukraine’s chief negotiator reported that his delegation had completed separate meetings in the United States with American and European partners.
European Union leaders agreed on Friday to provide 90 billion euros ($106 billion) to Ukraine to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years, although they failed to bridge differences with Belgium that would have allowed them to use frozen Russian assets to raise the funds. Instead, the money was borrowed from capital markets.
Russian and Ukrainian positions
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that the Kremlin would achieve its military goals if Kyiv didn’t agree to Russia’s conditions in peace talks. Moscow’s troops are inching forward on the battlefield despite huge losses.
Trump’s diplomatic push
Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end the war, but his efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv.
Key Takeaways
- Russian foreign-policy chief meets Trump’s envoy in Miami to push a U.S.-proposed Ukraine peace plan.
- European Union pledged 90 billion euros to Ukraine for the next two years, financed through capital markets.
- Putin remains confident the Kremlin will achieve its goals if Kyiv rejects Russian conditions.
The meetings in Miami signal a continued U.S. effort to mediate the conflict, even as Russian and Ukrainian positions remain at odds and European funding moves forward under new financial arrangements.
