U.S. and Ukrainian officials met for the third consecutive day on Saturday in Miami to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine — but both sides acknowledged that any real breakthrough depends entirely on Moscow’s willingness to end the conflict.
According to a summary released by U.S. authorities on December 5, “real progress” toward an agreement requires Russia to demonstrate a serious commitment to long-term peace, including concrete steps toward de-escalation and an end to killings.
The remarks were issued by Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, and Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, after two days of what both described as “constructive discussions.”
Key figures join Day 3 of talks
The third day of talks — attended also by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Andri Hnatov, chief of staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces — follows briefings given to Ukraine’s team about earlier discussions this week in Moscow between Vladimir Putin, Witkoff, and Kushner.
Putin’s stance remains unchanged
Witkoff reportedly spoke with Putin for nearly five hours at the Kremlin on December 2, but Russian officials said no compromise was reached.
This diplomatic push follows the leak of a U.S. 28-point peace plan last month. The original proposal was seen in Kyiv as overly favorable to Russia, though it has since been revised multiple times to incorporate Ukrainian concerns.
The latest version has not been made public.
After the Moscow talks, Putin said he was ready to meet the Americans “as often as needed.”
Yet during a trip to New Delhi this week, Putin declared that Ukrainian forces must fully withdraw from the Donbas region, warning that Russia would “liberate these territories by force” if they refused.
Doubts about Russia’s intentions
Ukraine and its European allies have increasingly questioned Russia’s sincerity in seeking a negotiated end to the war.
The latest U.S. statements also shift focus to Russia’s readiness — or unwillingness — to compromise.
Key issues remain unresolved, including:
- Security guarantees for Ukraine under a potential agreement
- Whether any territorial concessions are being discussed
Russia currently controls around one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including large parts of Donbas, which comprises the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
