After Four-Hour Talks, Rubio Says 'More Work to Be Done' as U.S. and Ukraine Prepare for Moscow Negotiations

U.S. and Ukrainian officials held roughly four hours of talks on Sunday aimed at finding a path to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Senator Marco Rubio described the session — which included special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner (President Trump’s son-in-law) and members of the Ukrainian delegation — as "productive and useful," but said negotiations will continue this week in Moscow.

"We don't just want to end the war. We also want to help Ukraine be safe forever," Rubio said, adding that any agreement should set Ukraine up for long-term security and prosperity. "I think we built on that today, but there's more work to be done."

A U.S. official confirmed that Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Moscow on Monday to continue discussions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Russian state media that President Vladimir Putin would meet Witkoff before Thursday, when Putin departs for India.

The talks come at a sensitive moment for Kyiv. Ukrainian forces continue to resist the 2022 Russian invasion while the government confronts a domestic corruption scandal: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his chief of staff and former lead negotiator, Andriy Yermak, after investigators searched his home. Ukrainian officials say roughly $100 million was embezzled from the energy sector through contractor kickbacks, creating fresh political pressure at home.

Diplomats are focused on revisions to a U.S.-Russia plan that has drawn criticism for appearing to favor Russian demands. Early versions reportedly included limits on the size of Ukraine's military, a prohibition on NATO membership and a 100-day timeline for elections — and envisioned Kyiv ceding the Donbas region. Negotiators say the framework has been adjusted, but details remain unclear.

Ukraine’s secretary of national security, Rustem Umerov, thanked the American team after the meeting and described the session as productive and supportive, though he provided few specifics. Other members of the Ukrainian delegation included Andrii Hnatov, head of Ukraine's armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.

President Trump has described the proposal as a "concept" or "map" to be "fine-tuned," and said he would send Witkoff — and possibly Kushner — to Moscow to discuss it with Putin. Both Witkoff and Kushner come from business backgrounds and are known for dealmaking approaches that differ from traditional diplomatic channels; they were also involved in a 20-point proposal that helped secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

On social platform X, President Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation would "swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war," and in his nightly address he praised the U.S. team's "constructive" approach. "In the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end," he said.