The United States is seeking to finalize Ukraine's position on territorial issues and security guarantees during ongoing talks in Florida.
On Sunday, November 30, the Ukrainian and American delegations exchanged pleasantries ahead of a key meeting on how to end Russia's war in Europe. However, beneath the surface of these pleasantries, Kiev still fears that the United States listens primarily to the voice of Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine wants to believe in Washington's good will, but it is watching its hands more and more carefully.
The ongoing talks are Ukraine's best opportunity to make its case to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff before he travels to Moscow next week for talks with Russian officials, including the Russian president himself.
— Generally, there is a certain belief among Ukrainians. They believe that the Americans are now trying to avoid President Volodymyr Zelensky in their consultations with Putin.
That they want to reach an agreement with Putin first and only then return to talks with Ukraine
— a senior official with knowledge of the negotiations told POLITICO. The interviewee requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matters discussed.
The American side wants to finalize border issues and security guarantees, Axios reported on Sunday, November 30. However, the final decision on possible territorial concessions remains to be made exclusively to Zelensky.
— The Americans want to close these issues completely, and the Ukrainians want to know where they stand and what message will be delivered to Putin, the official added.
Zelensky is not taking part in the talks, which are being led by the Secretary of the State Security Council, Rustem Umerov, on the Ukrainian side. The US delegation consists of Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law.
In official statements before the start of negotiations, both sides maintained a diplomatic tone. Rubio, head of the American delegation, talked about the “significant progress” that had been achieved in recent weeks, including: during last week's talks in Geneva.
“Our ultimate goal, of course, is not just to end the war — although that is absolutely fundamental,” he said. — It is also about ending the war guaranteeing Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and a real chance for development and prosperity, he added.
The American side announced that it expected “even greater progress” during Sunday's talks. Umerov, in turn, began by expressing U.S. gratitude for its efforts to end the war over the past ten months, thanking Washington “for listening to Ukraine.”
However, as an official familiar with the talks emphasized, the main task of the Ukrainian delegation was to determine whether this time the Americans were actually sharing all the information.
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Last week, Bloomberg published recordings in which Witkoff allegedly suggested to senior Russian officials how best to talk to Trump so that he would support Russian ideas for ending the war in Ukraine. Trump later defended Witkoff's actions.
These revelations came after the US presented a 28-point peace plan that Ukraine found extremely unacceptable and tried to impose a very aggressive deadline on Kiev to accept it.
However, subsequent talks in Geneva – with the participation of European, Ukrainian and American negotiators – resulted in an updated, 19-point version of the plan, much more acceptable to Ukraine. Russia received the plan and announced that it would “study” it.
After the start of the latest round of talks, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsa praised Rubio's “warm, constructive atmosphere” and “excellent leadership.”
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
