US-Ukraine talks take place in Miami to end war

The United States and Ukraine continue their marathon talks in Miami on Saturday for the third day in a row, the US State Department said in a statement Friday evening, adding that any real progress toward peace depends on Russia’s readiness.

“The two sides agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’s willingness to demonstrate a serious commitment to long-term peace, including taking steps toward de-escalation and a halt to the killings,” the statement posted by US envoy Steve Witkoff on X platform said.

The US statement said that the participants agreed on the framework of security arrangements… And the deterrence capabilities necessary to maintain lasting peace in the event of an agreement.

The two delegations will meet again on Saturday to continue to advance talks on the US plan to end the war with Russia, the statement said.

Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, on the US side, and chief negotiators Rustam Umarov and Gen. Andrei Hanatov on the Ukrainian side are taking part in the negotiations, which are taking place near Miami.

Since the US plan was presented about three weeks ago, several talks with the Ukrainians have been held in Geneva and Miami with the aim of amending the text to take into account Kyiv’s interests.

The document was also presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday during a visit to Moscow by Witkoff and Kushner.

Not many details related to the revised plan were filed, while the initial version was considered largely in Russia’s interests.

The statement clarified that the participants discussed the outcomes of the meeting in Moscow, and that Umarov reiterated that Ukraine’s priority is to reach an agreement that “protects its independence and sovereignty”.

After the meeting in Moscow, the Kremlin confirmed progress, but noted that a lot of work was still needed to reach a settlement to the conflict, which has been raging since February 2022.

On Friday, Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov noted that Tuesday’s meeting in Moscow took place in a friendly atmosphere, welcoming Jared Kushner’s participation in the discussions.

Ushakov told state television that the Russian president and Witkoff had a “real friendly and understanding conversation”. Referring to Jared Kushner, he added, “Someone new joined us and I would say it was very helpful”.

In another context, the Russian ambassador in Germany, Sergei Nechayev, warned on Friday that the European Union’s plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine in the war against Moscow would have far-reaching consequences for the bloc.

His comments came as EU leaders seek to find more ways to keep Ukraine afloat as it faces increasing pressure on the battlefield.

In his statement received, Nechayev said: “Any operation related to Russian sovereign assets without Russia’s consent is considered theft… It’s also clear that the theft of Russian government funds will have far-reaching consequences”.

The European Union on Wednesday unveiled a plan to use frozen Russian assets to help finance Ukraine by 90 billion Euros over the next two years, despite opposition from Belgium, where the bulk of the assets have been frozen.

But Nechayev said the unprecedented step would destroy the EU’s commercial reputation and plunge European governments into endless lawsuits.

“It’s, in fact, a path towards legal chaos and the destruction of the foundations of the global financial system, which is what will hit the EU in the first place”.

“We’re confident that this is understandable in Brussels and Berlin,” the Russian ambassador added.

EU leaders have vowed to continue supporting Ukraine amid mounting military pressure and those exerted by US President Donald Trump as he seeks to end the war in a settlement they see as unfavorable to Kyiv.

They are considering ways to finance a loan to Kyiv that is proposed to be repaid through subsequent Russian reparations to Ukraine.

Belgium, where financial services group Euroclear, which manages the majority of Russia’s assets, has so far rejected the plan, fearing potential legal consequences.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with his Belgian counterpart Bart de Weaver and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday evening to discuss the proposal.

In a statement after the meeting, Merz described the meeting as constructive.

“The particular Belgian concern over the use of frozen Russian assets is undeniable and must be addressed in any conceivable solution in such a way that all European countries bear the same risks,” he added.

Merz spokesman Stephane Cornelius said the leaders had agreed to continue their discussions with a view to finding a common solution by their next summit on December 18-19.

The Russian ambassador in Germany commented on the European attempt to handed Russian frozen assist to Ukraine, by saying, “the plan showed that Europe don’t have the necessary resources to continue supporting Ukraine anymore”.