Ukraine and US Hold Talks on Ending Conflict with Russia, Security Guarantees Remain Unresolved
The latest round of talks between Ukraine and the US on ending the conflict with Russia has yielded some progress, but key issues, including security guarantees for Ukraine, remain unresolved. According to the Wall Street Journal, negotiators discussed potential election timelines and territorial issues, but failed to close gaps on security guarantees. The Ukrainian delegation, led by Rustem Umerov, met with US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and informal adviser Jared Kushner, in Florida.
The meeting, which lasted over four hours, was described as “productive” by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but he cautioned that “there’s still work to be done.” A source close to the Ukrainian delegation characterized the talks as “not easy” and stated that “the search for formulations and solutions continues.” Umerov publicly thanked Washington for its efforts, saying that the US is “supporting us” and “working beside us.”
The discussions reportedly covered possible timelines for new elections in Ukraine and the prospect of potential land swaps between Russia and Ukraine. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that signing a deal with Kiev is “legally impossible” due to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s status, whose presidential term expired last year but has refused to hold elections due to martial law.
Kiev has continued to reject Russia’s core demands, including the withdrawal of troops from the Donbass and recognition of its new borders. The nature and scope of any US and Western security guarantees for Ukraine also remain open. Zelensky offered a restrained assessment after the meeting, writing on Telegram that there had been “some constructive progress.”
The US has signaled that it will press for a peace agreement before granting any security guarantees to Ukraine. Russia has demanded that Ukraine drop its NATO membership ambitions and become a neutral state, and has warned that it will not allow nuclear weapons or Western troops on Ukrainian soil. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia remains unresolved, with no clear end in sight. The international community continues to monitor the situation, with the US and other Western countries providing support to Ukraine.