Star Metro - Trump officials host crucial Ukraine talks in Florida

The talks come as Kyiv faces mounting military and political pressure, and they precede a visit next week to Moscow by President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to discuss Ukraine diplomacy.

"This is not just about peace deals. It's about creating a pathway forward that leaves Ukraine sovereign, independent and prosperous," Rubio said at the start of the negotiations.

Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were also attending the meeting in Hallandale Beach, north of Miami.

The Ukrainian delegation was being led by security council secretary Rustem Umerov.

"We are discussing about the future of Ukraine, about the security of Ukraine, about no repetition of aggression of Ukraine, about prosperity of Ukraine, about how to rebuild Ukraine," Umerov said as the talks kicked off.

The US talks come amid turbulence for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government -- a blockbuster corruption probe forced him to sack his chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, on Friday.

In a separate post on the platform X, Umerov said he was in "constant contact" with Zelensky as the meeting progressed.

"We have clear directives and priorities: safeguarding Ukrainian interests, ensuring substantive dialogue, and advancing on the basis of the progress achieved in Geneva," Umerov wrote on X.

"We are working to secure real peace for Ukraine and reliable, long-term security guarantees. The delegation will report to the President of Ukraine following the conclusion of today’s meetings."

- Flurry of diplomacy -

Washington has put forward a plan to end the nearly four-year conflict, and is seeking to finalize it with Moscow and Kyiv's approval.

An initial 28-point proposal -- drafted without input from Ukraine's European allies -- would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognize the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.

The United States pared back the original draft following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but the current contents remain unclear.

After the Florida negotiations, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host Zelensky for talks in Paris on Monday.

Separately next week, Rubio is set to skip a meeting of NATO foreign ministers despite allies' concerns about the US plan for Ukraine. However, Witkoff is expected in Moscow to discuss Ukraine diplomacy.

The flurry of diplomacy comes as the war shows no sign of easing.

- Russian oil terminal hit -

Ahead of the Florida talks, Russia's forces targeted Ukraine's capital and the region for two nights in a row as they advance on the front line.

A drone attack in the outskirts of Kyiv killed one person and wounded 11 on Saturday night, the regional governor said.

Hours earlier, a Ukrainian security source said Kyiv was responsible for attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea that it believed were covertly transporting sanctioned Russian oil.

One of Russia's largest oil terminals halted operations on Saturday following an attack by sea drones.

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a group that includes US oil majors Chevron and ExxonMobil and which owns the terminal, called the strike a "terrorist attack".

Ukraine, which did not comment on the incident, regularly targets Russian energy facilities in a bid to sap the country's war chest as the conflict grinds through its fourth year.

The CPC pipeline, which begins in Kazakhstan and ends at the terminal, is a major conduit for Kazakh oil and one of the world's largest by volume, handling around one percent of global supplies.

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F.Davis--SMC