Ukrainian Negotiators Arrive in the U.S. Amid Escalating Tensions for Peace Talks

Ukrainian negotiators are set to meet in the United States on Sunday to discuss the Trump administration’s strategy for concluding the conflict with Russia, as Kyiv encounters challenges on both military and political levels.

As Russian forces make gains along the front lines, they have targeted Ukraine’s capital and surrounding areas with assaults for two consecutive nights in advance of the U.S. discussions.

A drone strike on Kyiv’s outskirts resulted in one fatality and 11 injuries on Saturday night, according to the regional governor.

Earlier that same day, a Ukrainian security source indicated that Ukraine had carried out attacks on two oil tankers in the Black Sea, which were suspected of clandestinely transporting Russian oil subject to sanctions.

These negotiations come at a critical time for President Volodymyr Zelensky and his administration, following a significant corruption probe that led him to dismiss his chief of staff and chief negotiator, Andriy Yermak, on Friday.

The Ukrainian delegation, now headed by Rustem Umerov, is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff in Florida on Sunday, as reported by a U.S. official.

Washington has proposed a plan to bring an end to the conflict and is working to finalize it with both Moscow and Kyiv.

The original 28-point draft was created without consultation with Ukraine’s European allies and included a Ukrainian withdrawal from the eastern Donetsk region, effectively recognizing the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, along with annexed Crimea, as Russian territory.

After receiving backlash from Kyiv and European capitals, the United States has amended the proposal, although the specifics of the current terms remain uncertain.