U.S.–Ukraine Talks Advance as Trump Administration Prepares Moscow Mission in Push to End Russia War

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators wrapped up more than four hours of discussions Sunday aimed at securing a framework to end the war with Russia, calling the session “productive” as top American envoys prepare to travel to Moscow for the next round of diplomacy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and presidential adviser Jared Kushner met the Ukrainian delegation at Witkoff’s Shell Bay golf club. The talks explored timetables for potential elections in Ukraine, questions surrounding possible territorial arrangements, and the broader issue of Western security guarantees for Kyiv. Rubio said progress was made but emphasized the complexity of the negotiations. He said the objective is not only to end the war but to ensure Ukraine’s long-term safety and resilience.

The Ukrainian delegation was led by National Security and Defense Council secretary Rustem Umerov, who replaced Andrii Yermak after the latter resigned amid a corruption scandal. Umerov described the meeting as productive and said Washington is listening closely to Ukraine’s priorities. He did not offer specifics.

A senior U.S. official confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner will travel to Moscow on Monday, with Witkoff expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week. President Trump said he believes both sides want the conflict to end and expressed optimism that a deal is possible.

Sunday’s talks followed a month of intense diplomatic activity that began in Miami, where Witkoff and Kushner worked with Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev to shape an initial 28-point peace proposal. That early draft alarmed Ukrainian and European officials for appearing to grant Russia significant concessions. Ukrainian officials have since pushed back, and Umerov previously told the U.S. team that the plan favored Russia. He said Sunday that Ukraine now feels heard and supported.

Several major issues remain unresolved. Any land-swap arrangement would require constitutional changes in both Russia and Ukraine, and Ukraine cannot alter its borders without a nationwide referendum. Ukraine’s wartime laws also freeze presidential and parliamentary elections, making proposals for a rapid election timetable politically sensitive. Kyiv has consistently rejected Moscow’s demand that Ukraine withdraw from all of Donetsk and Luhansk, a position Russia’s president reiterated last week when he said Ukrainian forces must leave those territories before fighting can stop.

Zelenskyy faces mounting political pressure as negotiations continue. His chief of staff resigned after investigators uncovered a $100 million embezzlement scheme in the energy sector. Although Zelenskyy has not been accused of wrongdoing, opposition members are demanding greater transparency. The Ukrainian delegation now includes Umerov, armed forces chief Andrii Hnatov, and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Even as diplomacy intensifies, Russia has escalated its attacks. Ukrainian officials said recent missile and drone strikes around Kyiv killed several people and wounded dozens. Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than a hundred strike drones and ballistic missiles in a single day and thousands of munitions over the past week. He urged partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and reaffirmed Kyiv’s push for “real, reliable solutions” that will secure a dignified end to the war.

Tensions also rose with Kazakhstan after Ukraine acknowledged responsibility for damaging the Novorossiysk oil terminal, prompting Astana to warn that further such incidents could harm bilateral relations.

With U.S. envoys now heading to Moscow, the next phase of negotiations will test whether Russia is willing to compromise and whether Ukraine can accept terms that preserve its sovereignty and long-term security. Rubio said the goal remains not merely ending the fighting but ensuring Ukraine emerges sovereign, independent, and with a path to future prosperity.

Latest Worthy News