Trump envoy claims significant Ukraine peace talks progress in Florida

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said talks between American, Ukrainian and European officials in Florida produced tangible progress toward a structured peace framework and sparked signs that talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine could enter a decisive phase.

“During the last three days in Florida, the Ukrainian delegation held a number of productive and constructive meetings with American and European partners,” Witkoff wrote to X. “The Ukrainian delegation also included Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov.”

The American delegation included important national security advisors from Europe, as well as Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House staffer Josh Gruenbaum.

“A separate constructive meeting in the US-Ukraine format was also held, during which it focused on four key documents: further development of a 20-point plan, harmonization of positions on the framework of the Multilateral security guarantee, harmonization of positions on the framework of the US Security guarantee for Ukraine, and further development of the economic and welfare plan,” Witkoff said. “Particular attention was paid to discussing timelines and sequencing next steps.

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“Ukraine is fully committed to achieving a just and sustainable peace,” he continued. “Our common priority is to stop the killings, ensure guaranteed security and create conditions for Ukraine’s recovery, stability and long-term prosperity. Peace must be not only an end to hostilities, but also an honorable basis for a stable future.

“Ukraine greatly values ​​the leadership and support of the United States and the continued close coordination with its partners in the next phases of this important work,” Witkoff said. he said.

The special envoy’s comments came after Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Sunday that negotiators were closer to achieving a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine than at any point in the war, crediting U.S. diplomacy and pressure from sanctions on Russian oil as negotiations entered what he described as their most difficult final phase.

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“We’re probably closer [to reaching a peace agreement] “More than we have at any time in this war,” Stubb said.Sunday Briefing“

He added that he, Kushner and Witkoff have spent the past few weeks “working day and night” to narrow the differences between the two sides.

Stubb also drew attention to the unity among Western allies after the talks held in Berlin last weekend, drawing attention to two important results.

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Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, front row, from left to right and Onas Gahr, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Ursula von der Leyen, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, back row, from left To the right, they stand together in the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on December 15, 2025. (Markus Schreiber, Pool/AP)

“One was that Europe, Ukraine, and the United States were united in their determination to achieve a just and lasting peace… and the second was the idea of ​​security guarantees for Ukraine,” Stubb said. he said. “So we’re almost there, but the hardest 5% remains.”

Stubb said Russia’s private negotiating stance may be more flexible than President Vladimir Putin’s public rhetoric, but he also warned that Moscow’s primary goal is to destroy Ukraine’s existence.

The Finnish president added that he was in close contact with Trump, Witkoff and Kushner as negotiations intensified, suggesting that increasing economic pressure on Russia was making the negotiating strategy effective.

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Stubb said US sanctions against Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft were annoying and warned that open rejection of the US-Ukraine-Europe peace framework should trigger even tougher measures.

He argued that US sanctions targeting Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft were particularly effective.

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“If Russia openly rejects a peace framework accepted by Ukraine, Europe and the United States, then it’s time to increase sanctions,” Stubb said, “because they are working.”

Fox News Digital’s Max Bacall contributed to this report.