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Trump's advisers and Ukrainian officials will meet for a third day after reporting early progress toward a postwar security framework, though both sides say any real breakthrough depends on Russia's willingness to pursue lasting peace.
File photo shows US President Donald Trump with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in October. (Reuters)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 6, 2025 06:48 IST
Talks aimed at shaping Ukraine’s postwar future are set to continue for a third consecutive day, with President Donald Trump’s advisers and Ukrainian officials saying they have made initial progress toward a possible security framework.
Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Ukrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov, said on Friday that talks in Florida had shown “progress,” though they offered few details. They cautioned that any real breakthrough depends on whether Russia is willing to commit to long-term peace.
“Both parties agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and cessation of killings,” their joint statement said, according to the Associated Press.
SECURITY GUARANTEES AND RECONSTRUCTION TALKS
The US and Ukrainian teams also reviewed the security guarantees Kyiv would need to prevent future attacks, and discussed long-term reconstruction plans and US–Ukraine economic projects to rebuild after nearly four years of war.
The sessions followed a high-profile meeting at the Kremlin between Trump’s advisers and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the week. The Florida discussions on Friday took place at the Shell Bay Club in Hallandale Beach, a luxury development owned by Witkoff, the Associated Press reported.
PUTIN SIGNALS INTEREST AND PRESSURE
Speaking to Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov praised Kushner as a potential dealmaker capable of putting a peace plan “on paper.” But Moscow kept up the pressure, warning that European demands for stronger guarantees for Ukraine were unacceptable.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meanwhile said Kyiv’s delegation wanted clarity from the American side about their Kremlin meeting. Zelenskyy has repeatedly accused Putin of dragging out negotiations while Russian forces continue their offensive.
EUROPE PUSHES FOR STRONGER SECURITY COMMITMENTS
European leaders, wary of future Russian aggression, insist any settlement must include robust security guarantees for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to Beijing that he sensed willingness from China to support efforts toward stability, adding that Europe must remain unified with Washington in the negotiations.
Even as diplomatic efforts accelerated, the war showed no sign of slowing. Russian drone strikes killed a 12-year-old boy in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, officials said. Kyiv responded with drone attacks on a Russian port and an oil refinery as part of efforts to disrupt Moscow’s supply lines.
Russia claimed its air defenses intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions and in Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014.
- Ends
With inputs from Associated Press
Published By:
Aashish Vashistha
Published On:
Dec 6, 2025
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