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Florida Talks Described as "Very Productive" as U.S. and Ukraine Advance Peace Discussions

U.S. and Ukrainian delegations met privately in Florida and called the session "very productive," but released no details. Senator Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff met Rustem Umerov, with Jared Kushner present as an informal adviser. The talks follow Geneva consultations and come amid the resignation of Andriy Yermak after an anti-corruption raid. Major issues remain unresolved: Ukraine seeks security guarantees while Russia presses for territorial concessions.

11:21 PM, 12/01/2025Conflict
Florida Talks Described as "Very Productive" as U.S. and Ukraine Advance Peace Discussions

Top U.S. officials and a Ukrainian delegation met in Florida on Sunday for another private round of talks aimed at shaping a framework to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Both sides described the session as "very productive," but provided no substantive details and did not take questions from reporters.

Senator Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump, attended as an informal adviser and holds no official U.S. government position.

Rubio emphasized a goal beyond merely ending hostilities: setting Ukraine on a path to lasting security and long-term prosperity. He declined to provide specifics.

"Much work remains, but today was, again, a very productive and useful session where I think additional progress was made," Rubio said. "We don't just want to end the war; we also want to help Ukraine be safe forever ... and enter an age of true prosperity."

Umerov thanked the United States and echoed Rubio's emphasis on prosperity and security. He described the meeting as "productive" and "successful," saying the parties discussed matters important to the Ukrainian people and that the U.S. had been supportive.

These Florida talks follow earlier consultations in Geneva this month on elements of a potential peace framework. The negotiations take place amid political turbulence in Kyiv after the resignation of Andriy Yermak, a senior negotiator and Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, who stepped down following an anti-corruption raid.

Speaking aboard Air Force One after the meeting, Donald Trump said he had spoken with Rubio and Witkoff and that "they're doing well." He also referred to "difficult little problems," later clarifying he meant a corruption scandal linked to Kyiv politics.

Key sticking points in any settlement remain: Ukraine insists on future security guarantees, while Moscow continues to press for territorial concessions and restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to join NATO.

Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow in the coming days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reported to be scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron soon. Separate U.S. outreach has included plans for other officials to engage both Kyiv and Moscow in follow-up discussions.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the conflict has continued despite diplomatic efforts and international attention. The Florida meeting is the latest in an uncertain, high-stakes diplomatic push to find a framework that could halt fighting while protecting Ukraine’s sovereignty.

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