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Negotiations between US and Ukrainian diplomats to end the war with Russia have proven “productive and constructive,” according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“Our shared priority is to stop the killing, ensure guaranteed security, and create conditions for Ukraine’s recovery, stability, and long-term prosperity,” Witkoff wrote on X.
“Peace must be not only a cessation of hostilities, but also a dignified foundation for a stable future.”
Witkoff has been joined in negotiations, which took place in Florida, by President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House staff member Josh Gruenbaum.
Ukraine’s delegation included secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, and Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The US and Ukrainian teams were also joined by European advisers.
“Ukraine highly values the leadership and support of the United States and the continued close coordination with its partners in the next stages of this important work,” Witkoff said.
The teams focused on four documents that provided further detail for President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including a multilateral security guarantee and economic support for the rebuilding of Ukraine.
US negotiators also met separately with a Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev.
Although Dmitriev said the meeting had proceeded “constructively,” he also warned that European and Ukrainian proposals to modify President Trump’s plan “do not improve the possibility of achieving long-term peace.”
As The Epoch Times notes, “Russia has accused European leaders of attempting to hinder the peace talks with conditions that are unacceptable to Moscow, while Ukraine and Europe have said Russia cannot be allowed to succeed in attempting what they’ve described as an imperialist annexation of land.”
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave perhaps his clearest signal yet that he is ready for peace.
Addressing the Russian nation during a marathon news conference, President Putin said he believes “President Trump is making serious efforts to bring this conflict to an end. As I’ve said many times, I believe he is doing this with complete sincerity.”
“Furthermore, at the meeting with President Trump in Anchorage, we coordinated and virtually agreed to President Trump’s proposals,” Putin added.
“Therefore, to say that we are rejecting something is absolutely incorrect and has no basis whatsoever.”
Putin went on to say that Russia had already been asked to make compromises and had agreed.
“When I arrived in Anchorage, I said that these would not be easy decisions for us, but we agreed to the compromises being proposed,” Putin said.
He said the “ball is entirely in the court of our Western opponents,” meaning specifically Ukraine and her European allies.
“We are ready for both negotiations and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”
However, he also said he could still use military force to end the conflict.
“For our part, we refrained for a long time from recognizing the independence and sovereignty of the then-unrecognized republics, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic,” Putin said.
“And after we were deceived and the Minsk agreements were not implemented, we were forced to use armed forces to put an end to the war that had been started by the Kyiv regime with the support of Western countries.”
Putin said Russia would be prepared to halt strikes against Ukraine if there is an election. Ukraine’s last presidential election was held in 2019.
He criticized NATO, saying that its expansion “raises, and has raised, and continues to raise, our legitimate concern,” and also said the proposal to use frozen Russian assets by the European Union was “robbery” that could damage the reputation of the bloc.
