Ukraine's chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said talks with U.S. officials will continue at the World Economic Forum in Davos after two days of meetings in Florida focused on security guarantees and a post‑war recovery plan. No concrete agreements were announced, and the sides agreed to carry on consultations at the team level. Kyiv also reported heavy damage from recent Russian strikes that left hundreds of buildings without heating while nearly 58,000 repair workers work to restore services. Ukrainian leaders warned of Russian reconnaissance near sites tied to nuclear power and possible threats to power substations.
Ukraine Says U.S. Talks Will Resume in Davos After Florida Meetings Focused on Security and Recovery
Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council Rustem Umerov speaks during a press conference at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, July 23, 2025. REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Ukraine's chief negotiator Rustem Umerov said on Sunday that talks with U.S. officials aimed at resolving the nearly four‑year war with Russia will resume at the World Economic Forum in Davos after two days of meetings in Florida.
In a Telegram post, Umerov said the Florida sessions — which included U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son‑in‑law of former President Donald Trump — concentrated on security guarantees for Ukraine and plans for post‑war recovery. He gave no indication that the meetings produced concrete agreements.
"We agreed to continue work at the team level during the next phase of consultations in Davos," Umerov wrote.
Umerov added that the delegations had "discussed in depth" the two priority issues, emphasizing practical mechanisms for how guarantees and recovery measures would be carried out and implemented.
The Ukrainian delegation also briefed U.S. counterparts on recent Russian strikes that severely damaged energy infrastructure and left hundreds of apartment buildings without heating or electricity.
Kyiv's delegation included Kyrylo Budanov, head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office, and Davyd Arakhamia, head of Zelenskiy's parliamentary faction. Kyiv is seeking clarity from Washington about Russia's stance toward the U.S.‑backed diplomatic push to end the war.
Washington has urged Ukraine to accept a peace framework that the U.S. would present to Moscow, while Kyiv and many European partners have pushed to ensure firm safeguards against any future Russian aggression.
"If the Russians were seriously interested in ending the war, they would have focused on diplomacy," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
Recovering From Russian Strikes
Zelenskiy said repair teams of nearly 58,000 people remained at work restoring the heating network as nighttime temperatures fall to around -16°C (3°F). Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said about 30 apartment buildings in Kyiv still lacked heating after last week's attacks.
Ukrainian intelligence has reported that Russia conducted reconnaissance of key sites in preparation for strikes, including locations linked to nuclear power stations. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said there was evidence Moscow was considering attacks on power substations that supply nuclear plants.
Russian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Reuters)
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