Russia’s chief Ukraine negotiator Kirill Dmitriev flew to Florida on the eve of peace talks in Abu Dhabi planned for Sunday
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev has said he held a “constructive” meeting with a US delegation in Florida ahead of a new round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations planned for Sunday.
Dmitriev arrived in the US earlier on Saturday, with Moscow issuing no prior announcement. He teased the visit by posting a social media map showing his plane approaching Miami.
“Constructive meeting with the US peacemaking delegation. Productive discussion also on the U.S.–Russia Economic Working Group,” Dmitriev wrote on X.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff also described the meeting in Florida on Saturday as “productive,” saying it formed part of Washington’s mediation efforts to end the Ukraine conflict. In a separate post on X, he said the talks encouraged Washington that Moscow was “working toward securing peace,” and thanked President Donald Trump for what he called “critical leadership” in pursuing a lasting settlement.
According to Witkoff, he was joined at the meeting by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Jared Kushner, and White House Senior Advisor Josh Gruenbaum.
Constructive meeting with the US peacemaking delegation. Productive discussion also on the U.S.–Russia Economic Working Group. 🕊️ https://t.co/qrKMIdXjJO
The visit came ahead of a new round of US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi. The previous round, held on January 23-24, marked the first trilateral format and was described by all sides as “very constructive.”
Following those talks, negotiators acknowledged that territorial issues remain the main obstacle to a peace agreement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “it’s still a bridge we haven’t crossed,” adding that “there’s active work going on to try and see if both sides’ views on that can be reconciled.” Moscow insists any settlement must include Ukraine’s withdrawal from Donbass regions that voted to join Russia in 2022 referendums and recognition of the country’s new borders, including Crimea. Kiev has rejected any territorial concessions.
While the upcoming Abu Dhabi talks have been described as trilateral, Rubio said earlier that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner – Washington’s main negotiators in the Ukraine peace process – will not attend, though “there might be a US presence.”
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky said on Friday he was unsure whether Sunday’s meeting with Russian negotiators would go ahead, claiming the date or venue could change amid rising US-Iran tensions after Washington deployed a naval “armada” to pressure Tehran into nuclear talks. No official changes have been announced, however. Russian officials have long questioned Kiev’s commitment to peace, accusing it of refusing to compromise while making unacceptable demands.
Moscow has said it remains open to a diplomatic settlement but warned it would achieve its objectives militarily if talks fail, noting it continues to have the battlefield initiative. On Friday, it agreed to suspend long-range strikes on Kiev at the personal request of US President Donald Trump to create “favorable conditions” for the next round of talks.
