Senior Ukrainian negotiators have arrived in Florida for key talks with US officials as Washington steps up efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The delegation will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner on Sunday.
The meetings will focus on a revised 19 point peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said he wants the conflict to end quickly. The new outline replaces an earlier 28 point proposal that faced strong resistance in Kyiv and across Europe.
Trump has signaled he could recognize Russian control over parts of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk that are currently occupied by Moscow’s forces. This would leave Ukraine and its European partners to decide whether to keep supporting Ukraine’s defense or accept the new territorial reality.
The Ukrainian team now includes Armed Forces Chief Andrii Hnatov, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and National Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. Former chief negotiator Andrii Yermak is absent after resigning as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff amid a corruption probe.
The talks come as Russia continues daily drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, causing civilian deaths and damage to energy facilities. Fighting along the front line also remains intense, with neither side willing to make major concessions on territory.
France will host Zelenskyy on Monday, when he meets President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss “just and lasting” peace terms and Europe’s next steps. French officials have warned that if Russia rejects a ceasefire, it could face tougher European sanctions and stronger military support for Kyiv.
Tensions have also risen with Kazakhstan after Ukrainian naval drones struck infrastructure linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) in the Black Sea. The CPC handles about 1% of global oil exports and around 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil, making it a critical route for the Central Asian state.
A recent drone attack severely damaged one of the CPC’s single point moorings used to load tankers, forcing the suspension of operations and withdrawal of ships from the terminal area. Kazakhstan called the site an exclusively civilian facility protected by international law and condemned the strike as harmful to its relations with Ukraine.
The Florida meetings and upcoming US Russia contacts will be closely watched in Kyiv and European capitals, where leaders fear any deal could reward Russian aggression. For Zelenskyy, the emerging US plan risks forcing a choice between holding territory and keeping critical Western backing for Ukraine’s defense.
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