Support The Moscow Times!

Ukrainian Delegation Heads to U.S. for Peace Talks

Rustem Umerov. Rustem Umerov / Facebook

Ukrainian negotiators are due to hold talks in the United States on Sunday to discuss the Trump administration's plan to end the war with Russia, with Kyiv facing pressure on both the military and political fronts.

As Russia advances on the front line, its forces targeted Ukraine's capital and the region for two nights in a row ahead of the talks in the United States.

A drone attack on the outskirts of Kyiv killed one person and wounded 11 on Saturday night, the regional governor said.

Hours earlier, a Ukrainian security source said Kyiv was responsible for attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea that it believed were covertly transporting sanctioned Russian oil.

The U.S. talks come at a moment of turmoil for President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government. A major corruption investigation prompted him on Friday to dismiss his chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak.

The Ukraine team, now led by Rustem Umerov, is due to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff in Florida on Sunday, a U.S. official said.

Washington has put forward a plan to end the war and is seeking to finalize it with Moscow and Kyiv.

An initial 28-point draft — prepared without input from Ukraine’s European partners — envisioned a Ukrainian withdrawal from the eastern Donetsk region and saw the United States effectively recognizing the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as annexed Crimea, as Russian.

The United States revised the proposal after criticism from Kyiv and European capitals, though its current terms remain unclear.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more