U.S. and Ukrainian officials hold ‘very productive’ meeting in Florida

Senior U.S. officials and a Ukrainian delegation met in Florida on Sunday for the latest round of talks on a plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine — talks that both sides described positively but on which they provided no details and answered no questions.

“There is still a lot of work to be done, but today again was a very productive and useful session where I think additional progress was made,” said Secretary Marco. Rubio said in brief remarks to reporters after the meeting.

Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. Also present was President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who does not hold an official position in the U.S. government but serves as an unofficial adviser.

Rubio emphasized his desire to make Ukraine “prosperous.” He did not delve into details, nor did he respond to reporters’ questions.

“As I told you earlier this morning, our goal here is to end the war, but it is much more than just ending the war,” he said. “We don’t just want to end the war; we also want to help Ukraine stay safe forever, so that it never faces another invasion, and, just as importantly, we want it to enter an era of true prosperity.”

Rubio added that the discussions were “not just about the conditions that end the fighting, but also the conditions that prepare Ukraine for long-term prosperity.”

Umerov expressed gratitude to the United States and echoed Rubio’s sentiments, saying: “Our goal is a prosperous and strong Ukraine.”

“We discussed all the important issues for Ukraine, for the Ukrainian people, and the United States gave us tremendous support,” he added, going on to describe the meeting as “productive” and “successful.”

U.S. and Ukrainian officials this month discussed details of a possible peace framework in Geneva. Previously, Trump tried to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a proposal that would have given Russia more Ukrainian land beyond what it currently controls.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that he spoke with Rubio and Witkoff after the meeting, saying, “They’re fine.”

“Ukraine has some tough little problems,” he said, adding that he believed both countries wanted the war to end. He told a reporter that the “problems” referred to a corruption scandal.

Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yerma, a key negotiator in the peace talks, resigned Friday following an anti-corruption raid on his home.

Zelensky said on X after the meeting that Umerov had reported information about Sunday’s talks, but he did not disclose the details.

“It is important that the negotiations have constructive dynamics and that all issues are discussed openly and with a clear focus on ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty and national interests,” he said, later thanking Trump and the administration.

Ukraine has pushed for any agreement to end the war to include future security guarantees, while Moscow has insisted that Ukrainian lands be ceded to Russia and demanded that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO.

Witkoff is expected to travel to Moscow in the coming days. Zelensky is expected to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, according to France 24. Trump also said last week on Truth Social that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll would meet with Ukrainians while Witkoff would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022 and has continued despite the efforts of the Trump administration, including a controversial red carpet welcome to Putin in Alaska over the summer.