'Productive talks' in Florida between US and Ukraine officials
發佈日期: 2025-12-01 21:06
TVB News
US and Ukrainian officials held what both sides called "productive talks" in Florida about a peace deal with Russia.
US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism that progress had been made.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with a Ukrainian delegation led by a new chief negotiator in Florida, his home state, for talks he said were meant to create a pathway for Ukraine to remain sovereign and independent.
The discussions were a follow-up to a new set of negotiations that began with a fresh US blueprint for peace.
Critics said the plan initially favoured Russia, which started the conflict with a 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were also present representing the US side.
Witkoff leaves on Monday for Moscow, where he is expected to meet his Russian counterparts for talks this week.
A new chief negotiator, national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, led the discussions for Kyiv.
This, after the resignation on Friday of previous team leader Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, amid a corruption scandal at home.
After the talks concluded, Rubio appeared optomistic progress was being made.
"We had another very productive session building off Geneva, building off the events of this week. As I told you earlier this morning, our goal here is to end the war. But it's more than just to end the war," said Rubio. "We don't just want to end the war; we also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion."
Umerov also heralded the talks. He said the "US is hearing us, the US is supporting us."
Meanwhile, speaking on Air Force One, US President Trump said there was a good chance a deal could be reached despite disruption caused by Ukraine's corruption scandal.
"Ukraine's got some difficult little problems," said Trump. "They have some difficult problems. But, I think Russia would like to see it ended, I think Ukraine, I know Ukraine would like to see it end. I said it (peace talks) was going on for three years, right? Didn't I say it?
"For three years, I said it. So I was way ahead of schedule, but I think that there's a good chance we can make a deal."
Among measures included in Trump's draft peace proposal is the creation of a Ukraine Development Fund to invest in fast-growing industries, including technology, and artificial intelligence.
The proposal also calls for Washington to cooperate with Kyiv to jointly rebuild, develop, modernise and operate Ukraine's natural gas infrastructure, including pipelines and storage facilities. Russia has repeatedly bombarded Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the war.
The earlier 28-point plan, which Trump has since played down as a "concept" or a "map" to be "fine-tuned," would have imposed limits on the size of Ukraine's military, blocked the country from joining NATO and required Ukraine to hold elections in 100 days.
Negotiators have indicated the framework has changed, but it's not clear how its provisions have been altered.
It had initially envisioned Ukraine ceding the entire eastern region of the Donbas to Russia, a sticking point for Kyiv.
