Washington has suggested the first direct talks in months between Ukraine and Russia, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said on Saturday that he doubts Moscow truly wants to end the war.
The idea for three-way talks between national security advisers comes as US and Russian envoys met in Miami over the weekend to discuss ending Russia’s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who also serves as head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
These meetings are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to reach a peace deal. They also led to talks between Ukrainian and European officials in Berlin earlier this week.
Kyiv and its allies have often warned about Putin and the Kremlin’s broad demands. These include keeping Ukraine out of NATO permanently and making Kyiv leave all areas that Russia claims.
The US-Russian peace plan has changed from an original 28-point proposal, which many saw as favoring Moscow, to a new version that sources say now has about 20 points.
Zelenskyy said on Saturday that progress toward a deal depends on how much pressure the US puts on Russia. He stated, “America must clearly say: if not diplomacy, then there will be full pressure. Putin does not yet feel the kind of pressure that should exist.”
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