Rubio and Witkoff hold meeting with Ukrainian officials to complete deal following resignation of Zelenskyy's chief negotiator

On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, met with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida. The meeting aimed to build on recent discussions held in Geneva and finalize the remaining aspects of a peace agreement reached last week.

"Our ultimate objective is not only ending the war, which is crucial, but also stopping the suffering and violence. The Ukrainian side shares this goal," Rubio said in his opening remarks. "We aim for a resolution that ensures Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and potential for long-term prosperity."

Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation and secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, expressed gratitude to his American counterparts and Trump for their efforts, emphasizing the importance of a productive dialogue.

The Florida talks follow the resignation of Andriy Yermak, Ukraines chief negotiator, after anti-corruption authorities raided his residence. Ukraine has been under scrutiny due to a suspected $100 million kickback scheme linked to the state-owned nuclear company Energoatom.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed the continuation of diplomacy, stating, "Discussions based on the Geneva points will move forward. The U.S. has taken a constructive approach, and we expect the coming days to clarify the steps needed to bring the war to a dignified conclusion."

Zelenskyy added that Umerov would lead the effort to define the final steps for ending the conflict and complete the remaining elements of the peace framework. According to a U.S. official, Kyiv has accepted the peace deal in principle, with only minor details still unresolved.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk resigned on November 12, 2025, amid ongoing governmental challenges.

Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Moscow to discuss an updated peace framework, now reportedly condensed to 19 points from an initial 28, which European leaders criticized as overly favorable to Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that Moscow may reject the plan if it does not respect the "spirit and letter" of the agreements reached during the August Alaska summit between Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Russia continues to insist on maximalist demands, including barring Ukraine from NATO membership and claiming the remaining Donbas region. Despite ongoing negotiations, Russia has maintained drone and missile attacks. Zelenskyy reported that in the past week alone, Russia launched nearly 1,400 attack drones, 1,100 guided bombs, and 66 missiles at Ukrainian targets.

Author: Sophia Brooks