Witkoff calls Ukraine talks in Miami productive, Moscow downplays progress

Dec 22, 2025 at 07:22 AM CST

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said talks with Ukrainian leaders and European officials were "productive and constructive." — Image credit: Terry Renna / The Associated Press

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Summary

Peace negotiations

Talks in Florida involving U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, Ukrainian officials and European representatives aimed to find a resolution to the war in Ukraine. According to Witkoff, the discussions were "productive and constructive" and focused on creating a shared approach between Ukraine, the United States and Europe.

Points of disagreement

The negotiations addressed issues such as security guarantees for Ukraine and rebuilding the country's economy. The main obstacle to reaching an agreement remains territorial control.

US diplomatic stance

Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that the United States is not seeking to impose its will in the negotiations. Instead, Rubio stated, the aim is to "determine what both sides need and what they’re willing to give to reach a peace agreement."

Full story

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said talks over the weekend with Ukrainian leaders and European officials were “productive and constructive.” The talks in Florida were aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, with officials working to align their positions.

Peace talks in Florida

Witkoff met with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev on Saturday, officials from Ukraine and Europe on Sunday and then had a separate meeting with the Ukrainian delegation.

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Following the meetings, Witkoff posted on social media, saying the conversations focused on a “shared strategic approach between Ukraine, the United States and Europe.” He noted that Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine.

Over the last three days in Florida, the Ukrainian delegation held a series of productive and constructive meetings with American and European partners.

The Ukrainian delegation included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, and the…
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) December 21, 2025

But the Kremlin’s foreign policy aide, who attended a meeting, pushed back. He said that Ukrainian and European input did not improve the chances of a deal.

The Trump administration has already unveiled a 20-point plan to end the war. Witkoff said this weekend’s meetings focused on a few key areas, such as security guarantees for Ukraine and plans to expand support for rebuilding the country’s economy.

However, the sticking point preventing a peace deal is the issue of land. Russia wants to keep the Ukrainian soil that it has seized, but Kyiv is refusing to give any land up.

Ahead of the meetings, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the goal isn’t to impose America’s will but to determine what both sides need and what they’re willing to give to reach a peace agreement.

The war between Russia and Ukraine

Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, and the four-year anniversary of the war is now approaching.

Early Monday morning, a Russian general was killed in Moscow after a car bomb exploded beneath his vehicle. Officials have launched an investigation into the incident. However, one of the theories it’s pursuing is that the crime was “organized by the Ukrainian special services.”

The general, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, is the third high-ranking military figure killed since 2024, according to ABC News.

Julia Marshall is a morning digital producer at Straight Arrow News. Thanks to her extensive newsroom experience, Julia has a keen eye for news and extensive experience in writing and editing content across all topics and platforms.

Tags: Russia-Ukraine War, Steve Witkoff, Ukraine

Speaker 0 00:00:02 Productive and constructive. That’s how US Envoy Steve Whitcoff is describing weekend talks involving the Trump administration, Ukrainian leaders, and European officials. The meetings were held in Florida. President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner was part of the delegation. Whitcoff said Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine, but the Kremlin foreign policy aid who attended pushed back saying Ukrainian and European input did not improve the chances of a deal. Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022 and the four year mark of the war is now approaching. The Trump administration has already unveiled a 20 point plan named at ending the war. Witkoff says the weekend meetings in Miami, including talks with Russian officials on Saturday, narrowed in on just a few areas, including security guarantees for Ukraine and expanding plans to help rebuild the country’s economy. On Friday, secretary of State, Marco Rubio said The goal is not to impose America’s will, but to determine what both sides need and what they’re willing to give to reach a peace agreement.

Why this story matters

Ongoing negotiations in Florida involving Ukraine, Russia, the United States and European officials reflect diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine, although key disputes such as control over seized territory remain unresolved.

Peace negotiations

Talks between envoys from Ukraine, Russia, the United States and Europe highlight attempts to reach a resolution to the ongoing conflict but reveal deep divisions, especially regarding land control.

Territorial disputes

Disagreement over whether Russia will retain land seized from Ukraine remains a primary obstacle to any peace agreement, according to meeting participants and officials.

International involvement

The presence of U.S. and European officials underscores the international stakes and the complexity of balancing interests for a potential peace deal in Ukraine.

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Community reaction

Local Ukrainian leaders are urging increased international pressure on Russia while communities in affected regions contend with ongoing strikes and displacement. There are reports of anxiety and skepticism over whether the current talks will change conditions on the ground.

Context corner

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, often brokered or mediated by the US and European allies, have a history of stalemates rooted in disputes over territory and security guarantees. Previous ceasefire agreements, such as the Minsk accords, ultimately failed to end the conflict.

Debunking

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the US proposed a trilateral format including Ukraine, Russia and the US, Russian officials deny that such direct three-way negotiations are being planned or have been seriously discussed.

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Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left frame the Miami talks with skepticism—highlighting Russia’s motives and using pejoratives like "dictator" while quoting "constructive" as potentially misleading.
Not enough unique coverage from media outlets in the center to provide a bias comparison.
Media outlets on the right spotlight U.S. initiative and Trump‑linked actors, casting progress as momentum and stressing Putin is "firm on his demands" or giving "mixed/conflicting signals.

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Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

Peace talks on a U.S.-proposed plan for Ukraine are advancing "constructively" in Florida, according to Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin envoy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the U.S. position will be crucial after Russia talks.
European Union leaders pledged 90 billion euros to support Ukraine's military and economic needs, but encountered issues regarding the use of frozen Russian assets.
U.S. Officials, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are involved in the peace discussions in Miami.

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Key points from the Center

On Saturday, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the discussions are proceeding constructively and will continue today and tomorrow in Florida, where he met Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The talks are part of the Trump administration's monthslong push for peace, including meetings in Berlin earlier this week and Ukraine's chief negotiator's separate U.S. meetings with American and European partners.
Russian statements show that on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence the Kremlin would meet military goals if Kyiv rejects conditions and signaled digging in on maximalist demands as Russian troops advance despite losses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday that much will depend on the U.S. posture after talks, while European Union leaders on Friday agreed to provide 90 billion euros to Ukraine.
The talks aim to advance a U.S.-proposed peace plan to end the nearly four-year war, but sharp, conflicting demands between Moscow and Kyiv have complicated the Trump administration's efforts.

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Key points from the Right

Discussions on a peace deal in Ukraine are ongoing in Miami and are described as being held constructively by Kirill Dmitriev, the special envoy of the Russian President, according to TASS.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that while progress has been made in negotiations, significant differences remain on key issues.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about achieving a breakthrough in peace talks, emphasizing the need for strong security guarantees.
Zelenskyy criticized the 1994 Budapest Memorandum as ineffective, stating it failed to protect Ukraine's sovereignty or security.

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