Officials from Ukraine, Europe, and the United States are set to convene in Miami on Friday in an effort to break the diplomatic deadlock surrounding Russia’s war in Ukraine. The meeting follows a series of devastating Russian attacks that have claimed the lives of more than 70 people in the past two days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the upcoming negotiations on Thursday evening. He stated that the Ukrainian team, which includes his chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov and senior officials Rustem Umerov, Sergiy Kyslytsya, and David Arakhamia, would engage with US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The discussions are expected to span two days, with a European delegation also anticipated to join the Ukrainian negotiating group.
Zelenskyy revealed the confirmation shortly after Russian strikes killed 30 civilians on passenger buses in the eastern frontline city of Kramatorsk. Prior to that attack, a Russian missile struck a five-story residential building in the Chernihiv region, killing 22 people, including five children. The President noted that civilian casualties have surged as the conflict intensifies.
According to a US source familiar with the talks, the participants will review “new ideas and proposals” initially developed by American negotiators during their recent trip to the region. The source highlighted the urgent concern among all parties regarding the approaching cold season, noting that winter would be particularly harsh if hostilities continue unchecked.
In response to growing civilian deaths, Zelenskyy called on the United States to expand Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network, arguing that the technology is essential for defending Ukrainian airspace against Russian ballistic missiles. He contrasted Washington’s decision to open Starlink during operations against Iran with its current reluctance, accusing the US of being unwilling to apply sufficient pressure on Russia to negotiate.
The diplomatic push comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the conflict as a stalemate on Wednesday, a characterization that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed. However, Zelenskyy pushed back against the notion of a diplomatic dead end, asserting that Ukraine remains open to negotiations provided there is no simultaneous progression of economic projects with Russia. He also reiterated demands for stricter sanctions on the Russian economy, which his team plans to raise with US envoys during the Miami talks.
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