Did Russia manage to derail talks with US? Zelenskyy responds

The Ukrainian President emphasized that, despite Russian media statements, discussions with American partners occur every day.

"Today, our team already had several calls — Umerov together with the Americans, including Steve Witkoff. We are discussing our next steps," the President said.

This daily dialogue covers security, defense, and international support for Ukraine, as well as coordination of strategic actions in response to threats from Russia.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine is actively coordinating actions with its allies and that any attempts to discredit these negotiations are false.

Contacts between the American and Ukrainian delegations

Meetings between Ukrainian negotiators and Steve Witkoff began in November 2025. The first bilateral consultations took place in the United States, in Florida, where Witkoff met with the Ukrainian delegation led by the National Security and Defense Council advisor Rustem Umerov.

Since then, contacts have continued daily through calls and online consultations, and include discussions on the peace plan, security guarantees, and coordination of further steps between Ukraine and the US.

For example, on December 28, Ukrainian and US presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump met in Florida to discuss contentious aspects of the American peace plan for Ukraine. Following the meeting, Trump announced the creation of a special working group on peace settlement involving senior US officials.

European leaders did not participate in the Florida meeting, but on December 27, they discussed diplomatic priorities with Zelenskyy.

For all details on the US meeting and its background, read the material by RBC-Ukraine.