Ukrainian negotiators meet Trump envoys in Miami for security talks

Kyiv's top negotiators flew to Miami to press U.S. envoys for binding security guarantees as renewed Russian strikes deepened winter hardship and complicated fragile diplomatic openings. The delegation, led by Kyrylo Budanov, met Saturday with White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to discuss the contours of a proposed agreement to end nearly four years of war with Russia.

Budanov, described in official profiles as head of the presidential office, chief of staff and a former military intelligence chief, traveled with Rustem Umerov, identified as Ukraine’s security chief, and Davyd Arakhamia, a senior negotiator and parliamentary figure. Kyiv officials sent the team with a mandate to press for explicit, enforceable security guarantees and a roadmap for post-war economic recovery, authorities said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set a hard political frame for the visit, saying the delegation’s principal task was to convey “all the real information about what is happening” and to show how continuing Russian strikes were undermining diplomatic efforts. Budanov posted on Telegram that “Ukraine needs a just peace. We are working to achieve results.” Ukrainian leaders signaled hope that documents on security guarantees could be finalized and signed as soon as next week, though officials privately acknowledged significant sticking points remain over territory and the precise scope of assurances.

U.S. officials have positioned Witkoff as the lead Washington interlocutor, citing his recent role in mediating the Israel-Hamas ceasefire as experience relevant to brokering complex ceasefire arrangements. The Trump administration has publicly prioritized securing an end to the war, dispatching private and semi-official envoys and urging quick resolution. President Trump has signaled impatience with both Kyiv and Moscow and has pressed for rapid talks; some Ukrainian officials and lawmakers caution that elements of the terms pushed by U.S. envoys amount to unacceptable concessions, with critics warning they could be seen as tantamount to capitulation.

The talks come against a stark humanitarian backdrop. Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have intensified during a freezing winter, cutting electricity and heating for thousands of people in Kyiv and elsewhere. Temperatures have dipped to about –19°C in some regions, amplifying the immediate stakes for civilians and heightening domestic pressure on Kyiv’s negotiators. Ukrainian leaders argue that visible civilian suffering is eroding public faith in diplomacy and shrinking the political room for compromise.

Beyond the immediate human cost, the Miami meetings carry significant market and policy implications. A credible, enforceable agreement would reduce geopolitical uncertainty, likely easing upward pressure on European energy markets and rerating defense firms that have profited from extended conflict. Conversely, failure to bridge gaps over territory and guarantees would keep risk premia elevated, deepen reconstruction financing needs and prolong pressure on Ukraine’s battered energy grid.

Longer term, the outcome will shape whether the war ends with durable deterrents against renewed aggression or with a fragile pause subject to reversal. For Kyiv, the central calculation remains securing protections that prevent future invasion while preserving sovereignty. For Washington, the challenge is to engineer enforceable guarantees that allies will underwrite without drawing the United States into renewed large-scale military commitments. The Miami talks represent the latest, high-stakes attempt to reconcile those competing imperatives before the conflict marks its fourth anniversary.