These are “important” days to find a solution and put an end to the war in Ukraine after four years. Volodymyr Zelensky says it but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also think so, having sat down at the talks table in Miami with a delegation from Kiev led by Rustem Umerov, who took over from the resigning Andriy Yermak, overwhelmed by a corruption scandal. On the eve of Witkoff’s departure for Moscow this week, the discussions were “tough but very constructive”, according to what a source told CNN. Above all, some of the “most delicate issues” for resolving the war were addressed: territories and security guarantees, the points on which no agreement had been reached in the talks in Geneva. The talks between the USA and Ukraine “have been productive but there is still work to be done”, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Miami.
According to what a senior American official told Axios, «the Ukrainians know what Washington expects of them. Before his resignation, Yermak had said territorial concessions could only be negotiated at the presidential level but Trump warned last week that he would only meet Zelensky and Putin when the sides had reached a final agreement. This is also why the talks in Miami were not easy”, as another source explained, adding that “the search for formulations and solutions continues”. Territories and security have long been a critical issue for Ukraine.
The first US peace proposal included the promise of guarantees to prevent another invasion by Russia but did not specify the level of American commitment to the defense of Kiev. Umerov stressed that Ukrainians want “reliable and long-term guarantees.” Zelensky’s directives, he said, “are clear: safeguard Ukrainian interests, ensure substantive dialogue and proceed on the basis of the progress made in Geneva.” Rubio, for his part, assured that Washington wants to “end the conflict and create a mechanism that allows Ukraine to be independent and sovereign, to never have another war again and to create enormous prosperity for its people.” The United States hopes that bringing a series of understandings between Washington and Kiev to the table will help it make progress with the Kremlin. But after the Ukrainians managed to get changes to the 28-point plan, the Kremlin questioned their willingness to accept the terms of the agreement. Putin also raised the demands for territories, warning that Russia will take everything it claims peacefully or by force.
Among the topics discussed in Miami was also a calendar for the elections in Ukraine. In the first plan presented by the United States, Zelensky was expected to resign and hold elections within 100 days of the end of the war. But this could be one of the controversial points on which no agreement was reached in Geneva. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. «We will talk more. These are important days and a lot can change.” The leader of Kiev also spoke with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. «We maintain full coordination and I am grateful for the support. We discussed the diplomatic situation and have a shared understanding of the key issues,” Zelensky underlined. Viktor Orban also entered the debate in recent hours and invited Kiev to make concessions to Russia, describing territorial transfers as inevitable. “Russia will retain the territory negotiated at an international peace conference, and everything west of that line will constitute the territory of the Ukrainian state, which will return to exist as a buffer state,” said the Hungarian prime minister who has always been close to Moscow. “The more peace is delayed, the more people and territories Ukraine will lose.” According to Orban, it is time to abandon illusions and face reality, as outlined in the original American plan.