This weekend, another round of negotiations between the US and Russia on a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine is scheduled in Miami. The Russian side at the meeting will be represented by Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev. This is reported by Associated Press, according to UNN.
Details
According to an American official, on Saturday, December 20, in Miami, Dmitriev plans to meet with Donald Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff and US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The talks will follow consultations held this week in Berlin by Washington with representatives of Ukraine and European countries, during which security guarantees for Kyiv from the US, possible territorial concessions, and other aspects of the American plan aimed at ending the war were discussed.
Moscow also confirmed preparations for contacts between Russia and the US. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian side expects to communicate with American representatives to get information about the results of the Berlin consultations, but did not disclose details.
As AP writes, US President Donald Trump has launched a large-scale diplomatic effort to end the nearly four-year war. But Washington's efforts have faced sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would seek to expand its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies rejected Moscow's demands in peace talks.
Putin wants all territories in the four key regions seized by his troops, as well as the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also demanded that Ukraine withdraw troops from some areas in eastern Ukraine not yet captured by Moscow's forces, which Ukraine rejected.
The Kremlin also insists that Ukraine abandon its bid to NATO, and warns that Moscow will not accept the deployment of any troops from NATO member countries and will consider them a "legitimate target."
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his readiness to abandon NATO membership, but on the condition that the US and other Western countries provide Kyiv with security guarantees similar to those offered to Alliance countries.
In addition, Zelenskyy rejected Moscow's demands for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from areas that Russia failed to capture by force.
Recall
This weekend in Miami, a meeting of American and Russian officials is scheduled to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine.