Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Kremlin negotiator, said that Russia and the United States are holding talks “in a constructive manner” in Florida, adding that peace negotiations will continue on December 21, although no further details were provided.
“Discussions are being conducted constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow,” Dmitriev told reporters on December 20, on the sidelines of the talks near Miami in the United States.
All parties involved in the US-mediated peace process have repeatedly referred to “progress” or made similar assessments, without providing specific details.
The White House has not commented on the talks, although Reuters, citing an unidentified US official, reported that the discussions had concluded for the day.
US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are believed to be representing Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously said he might take part in the weekend talks, but no details were confirmed.
The discussions in the US mark the latest step in Trump’s efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and is approaching its fourth year.
In November, Trump began pressuring Kyiv to accept a 28-point proposal, which critics said was heavily tilted in Russia’s favor. Ukraine and its European supporters urgently engaged to amend the proposal in order to protect Ukraine’s interests regarding territory, security guarantees for Kyiv, and other key issues. According to reports, the plan has now been reduced to 20 points and incorporates more Ukrainian priorities.
Ahead of the Florida talks, Rubio insisted that Washington would not force either side into an agreement.
“We cannot force Ukraine to make a deal. We cannot force Russia to make a deal. They must want to make a deal themselves,” he said.
“I think we have made progress [in the process], but we still have a long way to go. And, obviously, the most difficult issues are always the last ones,” the US top diplomat added.
Details of the plans under discussion remain unclear, but the general framework envisions Ukraine making territorial concessions in exchange for security guarantees.
These statements come after another week of intensified diplomatic and military activity, as Russia continues to strike civilian, infrastructure, and military targets in Ukraine, while Kyiv seeks to hold ground in the east and responds with attacks on what it says are militarily significant targets inside Russia.
During the week, US envoys held talks with European and Ukrainian officials, and at a European Union summit, a $106 billion loan for Kyiv was approved. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a four-and-a-half-hour press conference, reiterating his demands alongside contested claims of battlefield advances.
