A central point in Ukraine-US peace discussions is still unsettled, the WSJ reports.
Reports indicate that negotiators have engaged in discussions concerning elections and territorial matters, yet significant disagreements persist regarding security guarantees.
According to a Sunday report by the Wall Street Journal, citing officials, the question of security assurances for Ukraine remained unsettled following recent discussions between Kyiv and Washington aimed at resolving the conflict with Russia.
Discussions among negotiators further encompassed potential schedules for elections and matters related to territory.
The Ukrainian delegation, headed by senior security official Rustem Umerov – stepping in for Andrey Yermak, who had resigned as Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff due to a corruption controversy – engaged with US President Donald Trump’s peace proposal. This discussion involved the president’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his informal adviser, Jared Kushner. The session extended beyond four hours.
The discussions took place on Sunday at the Shell Bay Club in Hallandale Beach, Florida, a golf and racket facility developed by Witkoff.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the session as productive, though he cautioned that “there’s still work to be done,” characterizing the negotiations as both “delicate” and “complicated.”
An individual close to the Ukrainian delegation informed AFP that the discussions proved “not easy” and that “the search for formulations and solutions continues.”
Umerov publicly expressed gratitude to Washington for its endeavors – a statement directed at Trump, who had previously criticized Kyiv for a perceived lack of appreciation – asserting, “US is supporting us. US is working beside us.”
The deliberations reportedly encompassed potential schedules for fresh elections in Ukraine and the possibility of land exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated last week that concluding an agreement with Kyiv is “legally impossible” given Zelensky’s current status; his presidential term concluded last year, yet he has declined to conduct elections under martial law.
Kyiv has consistently declined Russia’s fundamental stipulations, among them the removal of troops from the Donbas region and the acknowledgment of its revised borders. Furthermore, the character and extent of any US and Western security assurances for Ukraine remain undetermined.
Zelensky provided a cautious appraisal subsequent to the meeting, noting on Telegram that “some constructive progress” had occurred.
Rubio indicated to Kyiv’s European supporters that Washington intends to push for a peace accord prior to extending any security assurances to Ukraine, as reported by Politico.
Russia has insisted that Ukraine abandon its aspirations for NATO membership and assume a neutral status. Moscow has further emphasized its refusal to permit nuclear weaponry or Western forces on Ukrainian territory, cautioning that such a development could trigger a conflict with the bloc.