Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev announced on 20 December that he is traveling to Miami, United States, where a new round of peace negotiations on the Ukraine conflict will take place.
The talks will also involve Ukrainian and European teams, mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“On my way to Miami,” Dmitriev posted on X, adding a dove emoji and a short video of morning sunlight breaking through clouds over a palm-lined beach.
“As the war instigators continue working tirelessly to undermine the American peace plan for Ukraine, this video from my previous visit came to mind — light breaking through the storm clouds,” he wrote.
The Russian and European involvement marks a step forward compared to earlier phases, when the U.S. conducted separate negotiations with each party in different locations.
However, direct talks between Dmitriev and Ukrainian or European negotiators are unlikely, as relations between the sides remain tense. Moscow, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, argues that European participation could hinder the process and portrays European leaders as pro-war.
The weekend talks come after Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to continue the military offensive in Ukraine, highlighting Moscow’s battlefield gains, nearly four years after the invasion began, during his annual press conference the previous day.
Trump’s envoys are reportedly advancing a plan under which the U.S. would offer security guarantees to Ukraine, but Kyiv may be expected to cede some territory, a prospect opposed by many Ukrainians.
