Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that his recent discussions with United States representatives about a possible peace plan to end the conflict with Russia were constructive but also challenging. His remarks came ahead of a new round of diplomacy as he prepares to meet leaders from Britain, France and Germany in London before continuing conversations in Brussels later in the week.
In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said that American officials understand Ukraine’s core positions and that the exchanges were useful even though disagreements remain. He explained that the process is complicated because it involves issues that directly affect Ukraine’s sovereignty, security and long term future.
Diplomatic activity has accelerated over the past several days. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that significant unresolved points remain in the peace plan following his own meeting with American envoys in Moscow. The comments from both sides suggest that although discussions are active, the path to a final agreement is still uncertain.
According to a report from Axios, United States and Ukrainian delegations held three days of negotiations in Miami, focusing mainly on territorial questions and potential security guarantees for Ukraine. People familiar with the talks described the territorial discussion as difficult because Ukraine rejected Russia’s key demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of the Donbas. The United States has been working on alternative ideas that could narrow the gap between the opposing positions. The report also noted that both sides made meaningful progress in the area of American security guarantees, an issue that Kyiv views as essential for any potential settlement.
At the end of the Miami talks, Zelenskyy held a long phone call with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner. Zelenskyy said the conversation was substantive and reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to work with the United States to pursue a genuine and lasting peace. He stressed that Ukraine is acting in good faith and appreciates continued American engagement.
Former President Trump said on Sunday that Zelenskyy was not yet ready to approve a United States authored proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Speaking to reporters before attending the Kennedy Center Honors event, Trump claimed that Zelenskyy had not fully reviewed the document but that Ukrainian advisers viewed it positively. The comments added another layer of political complexity to the negotiations, which already involve multiple international actors and sensitive security concerns.
Russia responded positively to the updated national security strategy released by the White House on Friday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the changes align in several ways with Russia’s own strategic preferences. He noted that the presence of language favoring dialogue gives hope that joint efforts might lead to progress toward peace. The strategy document said that ending hostilities in Ukraine is a central interest of the United States in order to stabilize Europe, prevent further escalation and support Ukraine’s reconstruction after the conflict.
