Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday, 20 December 2025, that the United States has put forward a proposal for the first face-to-face negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in half a year. The potential talks are set to take place in Miami, Florida, as diplomats from various nations gather there in a renewed push to end the ongoing war.
Miami Hosts Crucial Diplomatic Convergence
Diplomatic teams have converged on the sunny American city of Miami for the negotiations. The Russian envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, confirmed via a social media post that he was "on the way to Miami," attaching a video of a sunrise over a beach. Ukrainian and European delegations are also present. The talks are being mediated by Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
President Zelensky outlined the proposed format, stating, "They proposed this format as far as I understand: Ukraine, America, Russia." He added that European representatives could also be present, but suggested a joint meeting should follow after assessing the results of the initial discussions.
Details and Stakes of the Proposed Peace Plan
The peace plan being pushed by Trump's envoys reportedly involves the United States offering security guarantees to Ukraine. However, it is widely believed that Kyiv would be expected to cede some territory under this framework, a condition that is deeply unpopular among many Ukrainians.
In a significant assurance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday that Washington would not force an agreement on Ukraine. "There’s no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it," Rubio promised, adding he might join the talks in his hometown of Miami on Saturday.
The last official direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian envoys occurred in Istanbul in July, which led to prisoner exchanges but little other concrete progress. The current talks mark a step forward by involving both Russian and European parties, whereas previously the Americans held separate meetings with each side.
War Grinds On Amid Diplomatic Moves
The diplomatic efforts in Miami unfold against a backdrop of continued intense fighting. Just before the talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his annual news conference on Friday, vowed to press ahead with the military offensive, celebrating recent battlefield gains.
On Saturday, Russia announced it had captured two villages in Ukraine's Sumy and Donetsk regions. Meanwhile, the death toll from an overnight Russian ballistic missile strike on port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region rose to eight, with nearly three dozen wounded. A civilian bus was among the targets hit.
In a related development, Ukraine's security service, the SBU, claimed on Saturday to have destroyed two Russian fighter jets at an airfield in occupied Crimea. Kyiv's military also reported striking a Russian oil rig in the Caspian Sea and a nearby patrol ship.
Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, calling it a "special military operation." Kyiv and its allies condemn the war as an unprovoked and illegal act of aggression, resulting in widespread devastation and Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
