U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Miami to finalize understandings on a revised U.S. peace plan before U.S. envoys traveled to Moscow to present it to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting was a crucial step in bridging remaining gaps, particularly concerning territory and security guarantees, which had been points of contention in previous talks.
The Ukrainian delegation was initially expected to be led by chief of staff Andriy Yermak, but his resignation due to an anti-corruption probe led to national security adviser Rustem Umerov taking charge. The Ukrainian team included key military and intelligence officials, as well as the Deputy Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the U.S. The U.S. delegation consisted of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Prior to the Miami meeting, Ukrainian officials indicated that territorial concessions could only be negotiated at the presidential level. President Zelensky stated that the dialogue based on earlier Geneva points would continue, and he expressed expectations for the Ukrainian delegation to work according to clear national priorities.
The U.S. hoped that agreements reached with Ukraine would facilitate progress with Putin in Moscow. However, the Kremlin had expressed doubts about accepting the U.S. plan, with Putin reiterating Russia's territorial demands and suggesting a prolonged conflict.