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Diplomatic push stalls as Moscow talks yield no progress
Senior negotiators from the United States and Ukraine have jointly demanded Russia show a "serious commitment to long-term peace" after discussions in Moscow this week failed to advance a resolution to the war.
Florida negotiations enter third day
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, held two days of "constructive discussions" in Florida, according to a joint statement. The talks, which include Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, are set to continue on Saturday.
The statement emphasized that ending the conflict hinges on Russia's willingness to take "steps toward de-escalation and cessation of killing."
Security framework and deterrence discussed
Witkoff and Umerov agreed on a "framework of security arrangements" that could support a peace agreement, along with "necessary deterrence capabilities to sustain a lasting peace," though no further details were provided.
The Ukrainian delegation was briefed on Witkoff's five-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week. The Kremlin confirmed no compromise was reached on the US peace plan.
Putin's demands and Ukraine's skepticism
Putin reiterated his stance in an interview with India Today, warning Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the Donbas region by the end of the week or face a Russian military offensive. He claimed Russian forces had captured the strategic city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, a claim Ukraine denies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded "full information" about the Moscow talks, questioning Putin's motives and accusing him of seeking to prolong the war.
Key disputes remain unresolved
Major sticking points include post-war security guarantees for Ukraine and territorial concessions. Russia currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, including large parts of the Donbas region.
Kyiv and its European allies argue that NATO membership or robust security guarantees are the best way to prevent future Russian aggression. However, both Moscow and Trump have opposed Ukraine's NATO accession, with the Kremlin calling it a "key question" in negotiations.
Trump described the Moscow talks as "reasonably good" but cautioned that progress would require agreement from both sides, stating, "It does take two to tango."
Military developments and propaganda
Ahead of the Kremlin meeting, Putin was filmed in military fatigues at a Russian command post, where commanders claimed to have seized Pokrovsk and nearby settlements. Ukraine has rejected these assertions.
The US peace plan, initially seen as favorable to Russia when leaked, has undergone revisions, though the latest version remains undisclosed.
