Russian envoy rejects trilateral peace-talk plan, meets Kushner in Miami as Ukraine remains wary
Dmitriev meets Kushner and Witkoff in Florida after U.S. floated trilateral talks; Kyiv cautious, Zelensky skeptical; EU loan aid precedes broader diplomacy.
A Russian envoy refused to engage Kyiv in a proposed trilateral peace-talk framework and instead met with Jared Kushner and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami on Saturday, Reuters reported. Kirill Dmitriev, Moscow’s envoy for the talks, flew to the United States but did not sit down with Kyiv’s negotiating team.
Washington had floated the idea of trilateral talks involving Russia and Ukraine over the weekend, but Kyiv’s response remained guarded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Politico that a joint meeting would be logical only after the potential results of the earlier talks are understood. He said that the format had already been tried in Istanbul in June and yielded little progress, adding, "I’m not sure something new would come of that. We already had such a format of meetings in Istanbul."
U.S. officials signaled caution on any agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there would be no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees, and he indicated he could participate in trilateral talks if they materialize. On the battlefield, a Ukrainian serviceman fired a Bohdana self-propelled howitzers toward Russian troops from a front-line position near the town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Reuters reported on Nov. 29, 2025. Kyiv has said it will not cede territory Moscow has not captured and seeks ironclad U.S. security guarantees as a condition for any settlement. Separately, the European Union extended a $105 billion loan Friday to help Ukraine sustain its defense and reform efforts.
Diplomatic engagement extended to Europe as well. In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz greeted Kushner and Witkoff upon their arrival at the Chancellery on Dec. 15, 2025, in what officials described as part of ongoing high-level discussions about Ukraine diplomacy.
Officials stressed that any settlement remains contingent on Kyiv’s consent and strong assurances from Western allies. The latest activity comes as Kyiv seeks concrete guarantees tied to Western security aid, and as the EU continues its financial support to Ukraine’s defense. Emergency responders worked at a warehouse site near Kyiv after a strike on Dec. 6, underscoring the civilian toll of the conflict.
