U.S. and Ukrainian Delegations Meet in Florida as Trump Seeks Talks with Putin to End the War

Senior Trump aides met with Ukrainian negotiators in Hallandale Beach, Florida, aiming to refine a proposed peace framework ahead of planned talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Diplomatic push ahead of Moscow talks

Senior U.S. envoys — including Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — held discussions with a Ukrainian delegation to negotiate the details of a peace proposal. The talks come as both sides seek to adjust a previously circulated 28-point draft that had drawn criticism for appearing to favor Russian demands.

Changes in Kyiv and the peace framework

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, following an anti-corruption search of Yermak’s home. The move follows revelations of an alleged scheme that siphoned roughly $100 million from the energy sector through contractor kickbacks, creating new domestic pressure on Kyiv’s leadership.

Zelenskyy named the members of the Ukrainian delegation as Andrii Hnatov, head of Ukraine’s armed forces; Andrii Sybiha, a senior foreign affairs official; and Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s security council. Diplomats say negotiations are focused on revising elements of the 28-point plan. Earlier versions reportedly included provisions that would limit Ukraine’s military, block NATO membership and require elections within a short timeframe, and had envisioned ceding all of the eastern Donbas region to Russia — a proposal Kyiv rejected as unacceptable.

Prospects for Moscow meetings

President Trump has described the 28-point document as a “concept” or a “map” to be fine-tuned and said he would send envoys — including Witkoff and possibly Kushner — to meet with Putin in Moscow. Both envoys bring business backgrounds and prior negotiating experience; supporters argue their approach emphasizes quick dealmaking, while critics warn conventional diplomacy and security expertise are essential for any lasting settlement.

Violence continues despite diplomacy

Despite diplomatic efforts, attacks inside Ukraine continued. Russian drone and missile strikes around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded dozens. Fresh overnight strikes into Sunday killed one person and wounded 19 others, including four children, when a drone hit a nine-story apartment building in Vyshhorod, north of Kyiv.

In a Telegram post, President Zelenskyy said Russia had used scores of strike drones and ballistic missiles in recent attacks and called for bolstered air defense systems and “real, reliable solutions” from international partners to help bring the war to an end.

Regional fallout

After Ukraine said it had struck a major oil terminal near the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk — part of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) infrastructure — Kazakhstan publicly urged Kyiv to stop attacks on the terminal. The CPC pipeline transports a substantial share of Kazakhstan’s oil exports, and Kazakh officials said the incident threatened bilateral relations.

What’s next: Negotiators will continue to refine the framework in the coming days, while plans for direct talks in Moscow remain tentative. Observers say any agreement will need clearer guarantees on territory, security arrangements and enforcement mechanisms to be acceptable to Kyiv.