Rubio and Witkoff hold talks with Ukraine's negotiators in Florida as Trump pushes for a deal

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Senior officials from the Trump administration are meeting with Ukrainian representatives in Florida this weekend, aiming to advance discussions to end Russia's conflict in Ukraine. These talks precede planned meetings in Moscow this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, are scheduled to meet a Ukrainian delegation to refine a proposed peace framework. The negotiations come at a delicate time for Ukraine, which continues to resist Russian military advances that began in 2022.

Shortly before the Florida meetings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his influential chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, who had served as Ukraines lead negotiator with the U.S. The resignation followed an investigation into Yermaks home by anti-corruption authorities. The Ukrainian administration is under pressure following a scandal involving $100 million embezzled from the energy sector through contractor kickbacks.

Rubio had met Yermak in Geneva just last week, with both sides describing the discussions as productive in shaping a revised peace proposal. Zelenskyy confirmed that the current Ukrainian delegation includes Andrii Hnatov, head of the armed forces; Andrii Sybiha, foreign minister; and Rustem Umerov, chair of the security council.

The negotiations are focused on revisions to Trumps 28-point plan, originally negotiated with Moscow. Critics argued that the initial plan heavily favored Russian positions, proposing that Ukraine cede the Donbas region, restrict its military, remain outside NATO, and hold elections within 100 days. While Trump described the plan as a concept subject to fine-tuning, the exact updates remain unclear.

Trump announced that Witkoff, and possibly Kushner, would travel to Moscow to discuss the plan with Putin. Both men have backgrounds in real estate and dealmaking rather than traditional diplomacy and previously contributed to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Zelenskyy stated via X that the Ukrainian team will work swiftly and substantively to establish steps to end the conflict. In his Saturday address, he noted that the U.S. side is demonstrating a constructive approach and suggested that progress toward a dignified end to the war is possible in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Russian drone and missile strikes around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and injured dozens. Overnight into Sunday, one person was killed and 11 injured when a drone struck a nine-story apartment building in Vyshhorod, near Kyiv.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for an attack on a major oil terminal near Novorossiysk, Russia, part of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. In response, Kazakhstan urged Ukraine to cease assaults on the Black Sea terminal, stressing that such actions harm bilateral relations and requesting preventive measures in the future, according to Kazakhstans Foreign Ministry.

Author: Sophia Brooks