Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a “very constructive” phone call with Donald Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Zelensky said they had discussed how to ensure Russia honored any potential deal to end its war with Ukraine and that he was “determined” to continue working with the United States.
Ukrainian officials also joined the call from Miami, where they are participating in a third day of talks on U.S. efforts to craft a peace deal with Russia.
Moscow does not appear to have made any concessions and continues to carry out massive bombing raids on Ukraine.
“Ukraine is determined to continue working in good faith with the American side to truly achieve peace,” Zelensky said in X.
“We covered many aspects and analyzed key points that could ensure an end to the bloodshed and eliminate the threat of a new large-scale Russian invasion.”
Russia subjected Ukraine to new air and missile strikes overnight, drawing condemnation from Ukraine’s EU allies.
In a social media post, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken to Zelensky and offered his “full solidarity.”
“France is determined to work with all its partners to ensure de-escalation measures and impose a ceasefire,” Macron added.
Earlier, Macron confirmed he would join Zelensky, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in talks in London on Monday.
The four leaders will discuss ongoing talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials aimed at finding an agreement to ensure Ukraine’s postwar security.
Two weeks earlier, the four met virtually to discuss a European peacekeeping force that could be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
Sir Keir has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine must determine its own future and said the coalition of peacekeepers willing to do so would play a “vital role” in ensuring the country’s security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the idea of such a force, saying that any troops deployed in Ukraine would be “legitimate targets.”
Russia launched 653 drones and 51 missiles on Friday night, Ukrainian authorities say.
An attack hit a railway hub in the town of Fastiv, southwest of kyiv, destroying the main station building and damaging rolling stock.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said Russian attacks had hit energy facilities in eight regions, causing blackouts.
Russia says it targeted military-industrial sites and port and energy infrastructure.
US and Ukrainian negotiators urged Russia to show a “serious commitment to long-term peace” after talks in Moscow failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, talks in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials to convince Ukraine to accept a US-backed peace plan are entering their third day.
In a statement issued Friday, Witkoff said two days of talks with Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s national security council, had been “constructive.”
Witkoff and Umerov “agreed on the framework of security arrangements” and “discussed the deterrence capabilities necessary to sustain a lasting peace,” his statement said without giving details.
The prospect of ending the war depended on Russia’s willingness to take “measures to de-escalate and end the killings,” the statement added.
