Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Christmas conversation with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff gave him fresh hope for progress toward a durable peace. The talks, part of repeated meetings in Miami, helped pare a draft framework from 28 to 20 points that include security guarantees and an outline for post-war recovery. Zelenskyy warned important differences with Russia remain, while Moscow describes talks as "slow but steady" and says its objectives could still be pursued by force if diplomacy fails.
Zelenskyy Calls 'Very Good' Christmas Talks With U.S. Envoys A Boost For Peace Efforts
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and European leaders pose for a photo during talks at the Chancellery in Berlin, Dec. 15, 2025.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt encouraged after a Christmas conversation with Jared Kushner and President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, describing the discussion as "very good" and focused on moving negotiations forward toward a durable peace.
Zelenskyy told reporters the call centered on ongoing efforts to end nearly four years of war and to build a realistic, enforceable roadmap for post-war security and recovery. He thanked the envoys for their "intensive work" and "constructive approach."
"We are truly working 24/7 to bring closer the end of this brutal Russian war against Ukraine and to ensure that all documents and steps are realistic, effective, and reliable," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Ukrainian officials have met with Kushner and Witkoff multiple times in Miami in recent weeks to discuss possible elements of a peace plan. Zelenskyy said that a draft framework had been narrowed from 28 points to 20, and that the package includes proposed security guarantees involving Ukraine, European partners and the United States, along with an initial outline for Ukraine’s post-war recovery.
Paramedics treat Valentina, who was wounded in an attack on a residential area in Druzhkivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, Dec. 15, 2025.
The president also noted the framework contains a separate document on bilateral security guarantees with the United States, which would likely require review by the U.S. Congress before any formal commitments are made.
Caveats and Ongoing Differences
Zelenskyy cautioned that important differences remain: both Kyiv and Moscow continue to hold positions they are not prepared to accept. U.S. contacts with Russian officials are ongoing as the parties seek common ground, but Zelenskyy stressed that any agreement must be realistic and enforceable.
Russia's Reaction
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said talks between Washington and Moscow were advancing "slow but steady," while accusing unnamed Western European actors of trying to undermine the process. Her comments, reported by Russia’s state-run TASS agency, described efforts to derail negotiations as "extremely harmful and even malicious."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine remain unchanged and would be pursued either through negotiations or, if diplomacy fails, by further military means.
The outcome of the discussions remains uncertain: diplomats report progress in narrowing technical details of a framework, but political gaps persist and any final arrangement would face complex domestic and international review before becoming binding.
