DST News: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says discussions with key figures in Washington over a potential peace deal are moving in a promising direction.
In a message posted early Sunday, Zelensky described his phone conversation with Donald Trump’s peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as “very constructive”. The call focused heavily on how any future accord could ensure Russia abides by its commitments.
Senior Ukrainian officials joined the talks remotely from Miami, where a third round of negotiations with US counterparts is under way. Washington is attempting to shape a roadmap that could eventually halt Russia’s invasion, though there is still no sign of concessions from Moscow, which continues its barrage of missile and drone strikes.
“Ukraine is determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace,” Zelensky wrote on X, noting that the conversation covered key steps needed to stop the bloodshed and prevent a renewed large-scale assault by Russia.
Overnight, Russia again pounded Ukrainian cities with air and missile attacks, drawing sharp criticism from Kyiv’s European partners. French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with Zelensky and expressed “full solidarity”, adding that France would work alongside allies to push for de-escalation and a ceasefire.
Macron confirmed he will meet Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London on Monday. The gathering will focus on the US-led talks and on crafting long-term security guarantees for Ukraine once the fighting stops. The four leaders last conferred virtually two weeks ago about a potential European peacekeeping force that could be deployed if a ceasefire takes hold.
Starmer has repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine must chart its own future, saying a multinational peacekeeping mission could play a crucial role in protecting the country’s stability. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the idea outright, warning that any such foreign troops would be treated as “legitimate targets”.
Ukraine reported a heavy wave of Russian strikes on Friday night—653 drones and 51 missiles—hitting multiple regions. A railway hub in Fastiv, southwest of Kyiv, was badly damaged, and energy facilities across eight regions suffered hits, triggering blackouts. Moscow claimed it struck military-industrial, energy, and port infrastructure.
As US-Ukrainian negotiations continued in Florida, talks in Moscow between Russian officials and US and Ukrainian envoys ended without progress. After the meeting, negotiators urged Russia to demonstrate a “serious commitment to long-term peace”.
Witkoff said discussions with Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s national security council secretary, had been “constructive”. Both sides agreed on the outline of future security arrangements and discussed deterrence measures needed to preserve a durable peace. The joint statement stressed that any end to the war would depend on Russia taking “steps towards de-escalation and cessation of killing”.
Source: BBC
