Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the United States to amplify its pressure on Russia to bring an end to the ongoing war, as diplomats gathered in Miami for new discussions. During a press briefing in Kyiv, Zelensky acknowledged that the U.S. had suggested the first face-to-face negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in six months but expressed doubts about their potential effectiveness in resolving the conflict.
Zelensky emphasized that only the U.S. holds the power to convince Russia to cease hostilities, asserting that increased pressure is critical. He stated, “America must clearly say: if not diplomacy, then there will be full pressure…Putin does not yet feel the kind of pressure that should exist,” highlighting the need for further arms supplies to Ukraine and broader sanctions against Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Miami, where Ukrainian and European teams are also present for the talks, facilitated by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Dmitriev described the discussions as constructive, adding that they had begun and would continue into the following day.
The negotiations are framed within a proposed peace plan by Trump’s envoys, which reportedly includes U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine but may require territorial concessions from Kyiv—an idea that is met with significant resentment among Ukrainians. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that no agreement would be imposed on Ukraine without its consent, stating, “there’s no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it.” Rubio confirmed he might participate in the Miami talks.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky announced that Washington had proposed a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, with potential participation from European nations. However, he expressed skepticism about the likelihood of meaningful outcomes from such a meeting, stating, “I am not sure that anything new could come of it.”
The last official talks between Ukrainian and Russian representatives took place in July in Istanbul, resulting in some prisoner exchanges but little substantive progress. The current meetings in Miami reflect a shift from previous negotiations, where American diplomats met separately with each side in different locations. Despite this development, the possibility of Dmitriev directly engaging with European negotiators remains slim, given existing tensions.
As the Miami discussions unfold, President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his commitment to advancing Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, celebrating recent victories on the battlefield during an annual press conference. On the ground, Russian forces reported seizing two villages in the Sumy and Donetsk regions, further intensifying their push in eastern Ukraine amidst ongoing heavy fighting.
Putin did, however, indicate that Russia might consider halting its military strikes to allow Ukraine to conduct presidential elections, a proposal promptly rejected by Zelensky. The conflict has escalated dramatically recently, with a Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in the Odesa region resulting in at least eight civilian deaths and numerous injuries. A bus carrying civilians was struck in this assault, which reflects the widening impact of the conflict on civilians, particularly amid freezing temperatures affecting essential services.
The intensity of Russian strikes in the Black Sea region has noticeably increased, with attacks targeting critical infrastructure, including bridges, and disrupting power and heat for hundreds of thousands of residents. Moscow has warned of expanded attacks on Ukrainian ports in retaliation for actions against Russian sanctions-evading oil tankers.
In a show of resilience, Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed two Russian fighter jets at a base in occupied Crimea and struck a Russian oil rig in the Caspian Sea, alongside a nearby patrol vessel. Putin has framed Russia’s invasion as a “special military operation,” aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine and countering NATO’s expansion, while Kyiv and its European allies assert that the war represents an unprovoked and illegal land grab, resulting in untold violence and destruction.
