US hosts ‘productive’ trilateral talks to end Russia-Ukraine war

United States, Ukrainian and European officials have met in Miami, Florida, to discuss a proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war, US envoy Steve Witkoff said in a statement posted to X.

Witkoff said on Friday that “constructive discussions” tackled “potential avenues to de-escalate and conclude the war with Russia ahead of winter and advance efforts toward a durable and lasting peace”.

Witkoff said the meeting included “the E3, the European Commission, Ukraine and NATO”.

The discussions covered energy resilience, grain exports, security guarantees and “longer-term arrangements for Ukraine’s and Europe’s security to prevent future conflict”, Witkoff said.

He also noted the “productive” talks discussed “Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and economic prosperity, including EU accession”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday the conflict had reached a dangerous “stalemate”, with the failure to reach a negotiated settlement raising the risk of further escalation.

“The other way that stalemates end is through escalation,” Rubio told reporters, warning that the conflict could spread to neighbouring NATO countries.

Renewed diplomacy

Earlier on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump that the resumption of talks with Ukraine is unlikely, citing drone attacks on Moscow during parliamentary elections last month.

The renewed diplomacy comes against a backdrop of deadly Russian attacks, including a strike on civilian buses in eastern Ukraine that killed 33 people. Authorities said the attack was the single deadliest attack this year.

The ongoing talks have been overshadowed by the US-Russia diesel deal on Friday. Trump blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries for surging diesel prices.

The deal was criticised by US lawmakers, Zelenskyy and European allies.

Zelenskyy called the agreement a “gift to Putin”. Hours after the deal, a Ukrainian drone hit a Russian fuel site.